Iran Updates – 23rd June

The image of Persians abroad

Most Iranians respond to their image in the world, not with anger, but with sheer embarrassment. It is plainly an uncomfortable feeling to be so publicly identified with savages. Non-Iranians too, we must honestly say, feel a twinge of embarrassment (as I pointed out yesterday) when we peer into the lower depths of this stone-age mentality. I refer, of course, to the current governing classes in Iran.

The leaders reject Ahmadinejad

According to a report, dated Saturday 30th Khordad 1388, from the Interior Ministry, a mobile ballot box (no 397) was provided for the votes of religious leaders such as Ayatollah Montazeri, Safi Golpayegani, Javadi Amoli and Shabiri Zanjani. This is the aristocracy of the ruling elite in today’s Iran. Official results show that Mr Mousavi had 99 votes and Mr Ahmadinejad 82 – a majority for Mousavi. Interestingly, there were 7 blank votes from the religious leaders in the box. These express a refusal to vote for Ahmadinejad.

Rent-a-mob

Rent-a-Mob: this photo shows the transport arrangements for rent-a-mob in action. A trainload prays as they disembark from train to buses en route to Tehran to do their religious duty.

Official paranoia

The view that ‘Zionists’, the CIA and British Intelligence are responsible for the nation-wide unrest in Iran at the moment represents a paranoid delusional system that would, in an individual, result in their being committed to a psychiatric institution.

The First Family

Now it is coming out that the Chief Donkey’s ─ sorry, the Supreme Spiritual Leader Ali Khamenei’s ─ son has been the campaign manager of President-for-life Mahmoud Ahmadinejad; hopes to succeed his father (who may have lung cancer); and is currently withdrawing vast sums of money from Britain. Is this all rumour? Can any of it be true? It is even said that Ahmadinejad used to work at Eveen Prison. As a torturer?

The truth in events

Eleven days after the election, it seems superfluous to accumulate ever more details of the fraud and subsequent repression. The Iranian people are used to suffering. We should continue to monitor events, of course. But what is the truth of these events? Everyone with two brain cells to rub together and access to a television set (at least), nowadays a rather large fraction of ordinary people everywhere, can see this. This Iranian regime rules without legitimacy. It has been seen to have no mandate. Perhaps it once did have a mandate; but if so it has lost it. It clings to power and continues to rule without any right to do so, without the consent of those it rules. Though this is not news, it is clearer ─ and to more people than ever before ─ that this is the Islamic Tyranny of Iran.