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The Persian Empire – Iran (Page V)
Return of Ayatollah Khomeini
When the Shah was losing his power in early 1979, he told everyone he was going on vacation to Egypt. He never returned and therefore, two weeks later, the Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran. He made his first speech at Beheshte Zahra Cemetery where a half million supporters waited for him. From then on he was greeted by huge crowds wherever he went.
Khomeini showed he was in control by removing the puppet leader left by the Shah and replacing him with a politician named Mehdi Bazargan. Then he declared his intention to rebuild Iran “In the Image of Mohammed” and remove all Western Culture.
Khomeini formed the “Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution”, an ideological offshoot of the Iranian Army, and pledged to uphold the Government’s Islamic Laws.
Our own President, Jimmy Carter permitted the Shaw to come to the U.S. to be treated for cancer. That was cause for the Iranian youth to take over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and hold the staff hostage for 444 days.
The takeover of the Embassy solidified Khomeini’s power. That’s when Khomeini’s interpretation of Islamic law began to take effect such as; no alcohol to be possessed, no mixed swimming, no coeducational classes in grammar and high schools, removal of most western films and T.V. shows. Also, all women are to be clothed in traditional Chadar. Of course this caused the women to protest. In 1989 Khomeini died of a heart attack.
Iran is still guided by the theocratic constitution Khomeini introduced. Some of the stricter mandates are no longer enforced. The President of today, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is still subservient to the present supreme leader, who is now Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who controls the appointment of the commanders of the armed forces and National security councils.
After the controversial election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the nation was awaiting comment by former President Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. He has been considered one of the Islamic republic’s most powerful men yet a supporter of the defeated presidential candidate Mir-Hussein Mousavi. The supposition was that he would now challenge the supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
The most he would acknowledge was that these past events are a crisis for the Islamic Republic and he did not approve of the violence that broke out after the election. He said the election was “healthy competition” and “unprecedented freedom”.
He wanted to calm things down. He didn’t want the media to be under as much control as it has been and that we must maintain unity for the protection of our state and our values for the benefit of our future generations.
The supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been unable to establish unity 3 within the system so Rafsanjani’s position as a unifying figure strengthened him in relation to the Supreme Leader.
Polarizing efforts by various countries had their effect on the population. Government supporters protested against America who did not want Ahmadinejad to become the President and the opposition protesters were opposed to Russia and China who recognized Ahmadinejad’s re-election.
Since Rafsanjani did not openly confront the Ahmadinejad Government, the opposition simply faded away. Rafsanjani’s only suggestion was to “obey the law” 3.
Ahmadinejad is now more willing to speak out. He did not take seriously any suggestions from U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton that they should negotiate its Nuclear-development program. He also considers that the U.S. was rude by interfering with Iran’s elections and that the U.S. should apologize.
Continued on page VI
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