By Shahriar Kia
2017 has begun
with enormous concerns for the mullahs in Iran. With the death of former
Iranian regime president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Iran’s
establishment witnessed the fall of one of its two pillars.
To this end,
Tehran’s religious dictatorship suffered a devastating blow and weakened in its
entirety.
The Supreme
Leader Ali Khamenei and the most ruthless factions of his regime are trekking
down the path of further contraction, advocating extremism,supporting terrorism, and pursuing
their nuclear ambitions.
With the regime
weakness bringing joy to the Iranian population, the mullahs are left terrified
of a repeat of uprisings on the model of 2009. This is especially significant
with crucial presidential “elections” coming in May.
The general
public and even political prisoners are
voicing their dissent like never
before, especially thanks to social media. Families of regime victims are
protesting, especially those whose loved ones perished amongst the 30,000 political prisoners massacred by the mullahs back in 1988. The people are
demanding an end to ruthless executions and the regime’s existence.
The Iranian
people, one year after the Iranian nuclear pact’s implementation,have
gained nothing. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, however, has
ironically benefited Khamenei and the
Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), allowing
Iran to finance lethal ambitions in Syria and throughout the Middle East.
The world has
come to realize that the mullahs, the IRGC, the Lebanese Hizb’allah and other Shiite
militias have no such role of confronting extremism and Daesh (ISIS/ISIL). In
fact, their goal has been to maintain Syrian dictator
Bashar Assad in power.
They have the
main source of distributing terrorism and instability across this flashpoint
region. In fact, their presence in Syria guarantees the mullahs’ continued rule
back home.
Khamenei recently said if they hadn’t fought in Syria, they “had not been confronted
[in Syria], we should have stood against them in Tehran, Fars, Khorasan and
Isfahan.”
In response to
the latest Syrian ceasefire effort, Iran and its proxy elements are the sole
parties seeking to sabotage the entire initiative. According to Syrian
opposition leaders, Iran is the sole party seeking nothing but to maintain
Assad in power at all costs.
No political
solution is possible in the Levant as long as the IRGC and their Shiite
militias are present in the country. Thus, if we seek peace in this land, the
only serious path forward lies in expelling the mullahs from Syria. The main
party in detriment from a ceasefire and eventual peace in Syria is none other
than Tehran.
The Obama administration’s
appeasement policy vis-à-vis Iran is
the main reason behind the Syria tragedy and the mullahs’ dominance in this
war. Iran counted on the West’s engagement approach to literally export its
extremism under the banner of Islam.
The end of Obama’s tenure leaves little hope for the mullahs’ regime to act as they
wish. This situation intensified ever since the occupation of Iraq back in
2003. Khamenei has been the main benefactor in the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq,
and Syria. But such days are over.
Considering the
failed rapprochement approach, a policy change is needed to end the Middle East crisis. Actions must be taken in the face of the IRGC’s terrorism and its destructive role
in the region. Otherwise neither the Middle East nor the world, for that
matter, will ever experience true peace and tranquility.
We cannot ally
with one form of extremism to root out another. Extremism under the name of
Islam, be it Sunni or Shiite, is no different in viciousness and none represent
Islam. In fact, they are better described as forms of religious fascism.
Therefore, no
government can promote an alliance with Tehran under the pretext of pursuing a
security policy. Furthermore, we cannot neglect our principles for the mere
sake of short-term economic gains and turn our backs on human rights and women’s rights violations in Iran.
Today’s Iran has
an alternative with a democratic agenda based on respecting religious freedoms,
universal suffrage, separation of church and state, and gender equality. The
voice of this alternative should be heard, as proposed by nearly two dozen
senior top U.S. officials in a hand-delivered letter to President Donald Trump.
This alternative
is none other than the National Council of Resistance of Iranunder the leadership of Maryam Rajavi, who years ago presented her vision for
a future Iran in a 10-point-plan.
The solution
presented by the Iranian opposition can render a new era for the people of
Iran, nations across the Middle East and beyond. We only need to remain loyal
to our democratic values and principles.
Shahriar Kia is a
political analyst and member of Iranian opposition (PMOI/MEK). He
graduated from North Texas University. @shahriarkia
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