Hoax is the right definition of moderation in Iran
Following the election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani back in 2013, time and again the international community has learned – at times through hard lessons – of the notion moderation inside Iran being nothing but a hoax. The most recent incidents have been the storming of the Saudi embassy and consulates in Iran, and the arrest and posting of humiliating video footages of American sailors by the Revolutionary Guards. Sectarian wars and disputes have escalated across the Middle East as Tehran continues to support Bashar Assad in Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Shiite Houthis in Yemen and extremist Shiite groups in Iraq. This is all a reminder that any notion of a moderate reformist existing in Iran is nothing but a deception.
In less than two years Rouhani came to lose his base in Iran as the entire population fell victim to growing crackdown and increasing economic dilemmas under his watch. From day one of Rouhani’s tenure the Iranian opposition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, emphasized there are no grounds for a moderate figure to survive as long as the current regime is in power.
For over three decades there have been many claiming of a “moderate” figure rising to the presidency in Iran, while all signs pointed the opposite. Rouhani is merely the new face seeking to smile his way into deceiving the international community, especially specific parties in the West, over Tehran’s approach and future objectives. One important reminder is the fact that for years Rouhani served as the regime’s secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, the body deciding on all major national security matters. Rouhani relies on those listening to set aside the very important reality that Islamic fundamentalism and extremism lies at the epicenter of the regime sitting at the helm in Tehran.
Those ruling Iran have allocated a large sum of their power and authority to portraying themselves as the leader of radical Islam in today’s world, especially parallel to the rise of ISIS. Tehran has gone the limits to providing arms and financial support to hallmark terrorist organizations such as the Lebanese Hezbollah and lethal Shiite groups in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and more recently in Bahrain and Kuwait. Reuters cited U.S. sources saying three American nationals recently gone missing in Baghdad have been abducted by Iran-backed Shiite militia groups. Iran’s attacks are aimed at targets of Middle East countries and Western interests, alongside being the lead voice in spreading bitterness against the West and its allies in the region through a widely established propaganda machine. What many in the West might not know is that Iran’s constitution actually encourages the expansion of a strict sharia viewpoint, recognizing no boundaries throughout the region. Inspiring an extremist and fanatic revolution is also described again in Iran’s constitution as the leadership’s duty.
Such realities make any claims of moderation from within the extremism thriving the ruling elite in Tehran hard to believe. As we speak the United States and the European Union have not backed down on their policy of engagement and appeasement vis-à-vis, with countries in the Green Continent seeking to revive their short-term interests of trade economic relations with Iran. All this comes as more signs indicate Iran is failing to abide by the nuclear agreement sealed with the West, especially the provocative ballistic missile tests and firing rockets near American and French ships in the Persian Gulf.
Iran has also taken advantage of the status quo and launched a major wave of executions, most recently sending 53 prisoners to the gallows in the first two weeks of January. The Iranian judiciary apparatus also hanged two individuals who had committed their alleged crimes while in their minor years, prompting harsh criticism from Amnesty International amongst others. How did Iran respond? Upholding the death sentences for two other such juveniles, as Iran stands as the world record holder in juvenile executions. This is only the tip of the iceberg of the over 2,000 hangings Rouhani has overseen during his tenure, nearly three times that of controversial predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Unfortunately, there are no signs of optimism for 2016. The West should trek the difficult path ahead with precision, understanding the principle fact of Tehran’s deeply-rooted extremist and fundamentalist nature, rendering impossible any possibility of Rouhani providing a basis to invest in for change from within in Iran. Rouhani’s game plan centers on a very carefully orchestrated deception plot to mislead all relevant correspondents in the West. What is needed now is the adoption of a firm and accurate policy to make Tehran understand major alterations are needed for the international community to trust the ruling regime.