Shahrokh Ahkami —
Persian Heritage, #114, Winter 2024 —
I would like to extend my New Year greetings to the readers of Mirass-e Iran and to all those across the world who care about peace, tranquility, friendship, harmony, unity, loyalty, love, and kindness. After leaving behind a turbulent year full of chaos, destruction, and devastation, and we hope for a better and calmer year ahead. Yet it seems we must still view the beginning and continuation of the new year with concern and apprehension.
I was searching for news or a topic so that, unlike my other writings, I could write less about the growing oppression and pressure on the innocent people of Iran. I wanted to share something different with our readers of Mirass-e Iran. However, today, with great surprise and astonishment, I came across a piece of news in the media that seemed unbelievable to me. At first, the news appeared absurd and more like a joke or jest until I saw video reports of the event in the media.
The news was as follows: “A two-kilometer-long pipeline discovered in Bandar Abbas for stealing jet fuel!” According to ILNA, Mojtaba Ghahremani, the Chief Justice of Hormozgan Province, stated: “With the presence of experts and the inspection of the discovered equipment, as well as the evaluation of the corrosion and rust on the pipes and equipment, it all indicates that the thieves had been using this pipeline for a long time. This unauthorized connection had the capacity to extract approximately 7,000 liters per day” (quoted from BBC).
Unbelievable! Could it really be possible that these thieves had no dealings with the officials in Tehran who manage the country’s jet fuel supply? What kind of administrative and governmental system is this where theft and plundering of national assets have become a normal and routine matter? Fundamentally, the very foundation of this government seems to rest on rant-seeking, draining banks, and exploiting the nation’s natural resources.
What’s interesting is that many of those who understand that sanctions are one of the key factors in destabilizing the country’s economy and putting immense pressure on the suffering people of Iran, and who clearly see the situation in Iran as similar to that of Cuba and Venezuela – where the crushing impact of sanctions hasn’t weakened their governments but instead strengthened their rulers while increasing financial hardship, poverty, and helplessness for ordinary citizen – still harbor a grave concern. Their worry is that even if the sanctions were lifted and the large sums of money frozen abroad were returned to Iran, all of that money would, instead of being spent on healthcare, public welfare, and improving living conditions, end up in the personal accounts of a handful of thieves, further enriching them.
For example, no one could trace the money given to Iran during Obama’s administration or determine which personal accounts or foreign banks it was transferred to. The infamous $3 billion scandal involving Khavari, the former head of Iran’s National Bank, is still fresh in people’s memories. Despite his outward display of piety with a prayer mark on his forehead and a checkered keffiyeh around his neck, claiming to be a devout and trustworthy believer, Khavari stole the funds and fled Iran. Today, he and his two sons are well-known and successful in the construction and travel industries in Canada, while he himself enjoys his days in Canadian and Las Vegas casinos.
The thefts and plundering have not been limited to plainclothes agents, the Revolutionary Guards, and their families. The clerics and their children have also kept pace with their non-turbaned allies in this race of looting and theft, showing no signs of falling behind. When the children of clerics, dressed in religious garb and occupying positions in the judiciary, openly confess to their crimes, and when a cleric, responsible for leading Friday prayers and expected to preach morality, piety, integrity, and honesty to his congregation, is himself at the forefront of embezzling endowment land and funds – what ethical standards can one expect from such a government and its leaders?
This is a country that, due to the incompetence and mismanagement of its rulers, is under military and economic siege and is constantly at risk of meeting the same fate as Saddam-era Iraq or war-torn Afghanistan, potentially being unjustly partitioned. And yet, its leadership continues to boast and bluster.
Iran’s inept rulers have squandered vast resources over the years on their so-called resistance forces. They rebuilt homes and lives in countries devastated by Israel’s attacks, built hospitals and universities there, while in their own country, places like Baluchistan still lack hospitals, clinics, and schools for their children. Suitcases full of dollars were handed over to Assad and his allies, and now Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine have turned their backs on Iran and its rulers – even threatening them.
Fundamentally, when the so-called Arab Muslim nations show little concern for their own Arab brothers, why should Iran and Iranians bear such a heavy burden to protect and support these Arab groups? Iraq, which fought an eight-year war against Iran with Western and American backing, claimed the lives of nearly one million young Iranians, set Khuzestan, Khorramshahr, and Iran’s palm groves ablaze, and yet, despite its own vast financial and oil resources, Iran built modern hospitals and schools for them, and to transform their religious sites and shrines into the most magnificent pilgrimage destinations at enormous cost. Meanwhile, the revenues from these places end up in the pockets of Iraqis – former enemies turned superficial friends.
I can’t help but wonder, has a country like Turkey, which has supposedly aligned itself with global powers through compromise, sacrificed its independence or reaped the greatest benefits? Today, not only Westerners but also wealthy Iranians and many displaced citizens of Iran view Turkey as their ultimate destination and a land of opportunity.
Interestingly, many places, squares, and streets in Iranian cities are named after Arab figures, while many of our own literary, industrial, and artistic giants have been forgotten. If one travels to our neighboring so-called Muslim countries, nowhere will you find a street or place named after an Iranian figure. In fact, with deliberate and significant financial investment, they have sought to rebrand anything Iranian in their museums and countries as Islamic artifacts and figures, falsely labeling them as Arab and Islam. The harm and damage inflicted upon Iran and Iranians by our so-called Muslim and Arab “brothers” is unparalleled by any other enemy throughout history or in the present day. Unfortunately, within the country, the ruling government seems to be the people’s greatest adversary. Through incompetence and mismanagement, they have driven the nation to the brink of financial and economic collapse. On top of that, they have stripped the people of fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, the right to choose their clothing, and their way of life.
In a world where, beyond Iran’s borders – even in neighboring countries like Turkey, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Qatar, and the UAE – personal freedoms such as clothing choice and lifestyle are largely respected (though I won’t claim these countries are free in terms of expression, as their dictatorships manifest differently), our nation lags far behind. In Iran, artistic, literary, and social figures not only lack the right to voice their opinions but are also subjected to daily confrontations over their attire in public spaces. This has turned the simple act of personal choice into a constant battle, with the looming threat of imprisonment creating widespread hardship.
Nevertheless, Iranian women, with their unwavering resilience, refuse to bow easily under the weight of oppressive or ridiculous rules regarding dress and appearance imposed by the government. They continue to stand firm, symbolizing a broader struggle for dignity and freedom in the face of authoritarian control.
Perhaps one day, the free people of Iran – our brave women, our patient and hardworking men – will finally attain what has been denied to them for so many years: freedom of speech, freedom of thought and belief, freedom of religion and sect, and the right to choose their clothing and appearance.
The concern that grows more pressing by the day is amplified by the possibility of Donald Trump returning to power in the U.S. With this shift, the Islamic Republic finds itself scrambling in one of its weakest periods, desperately seeking negotiations and deals with European countries. Of course, the Europeans are unlikely to make any significant moves without consulting their “big boss,” the United States. One fear is that Iran and its regime might face a fate similar to that of Assad in Syria, where someone once pursued with a $25 million bounty was ultimately replaced by the very powers that backed him.
The U.S. and its allies employ various strategies and tricks in dealing with their adversaries. They negotiated with the Taliban, despite waging a so-called long war against them, while covertly providing them with $50 million in cash each week. When pressured by public opinion, they claim these funds are humanitarian aid for the needy people of Afghanistan.
These are indeed difficult and worrisome days ahead. For 45 years, each passing day has brought increasing anxiety and concern for the future of Iran and its people. How long will this chaos persist? Should we not fear the possibility that “tomorrow may be too late”? This suffocating and terrifying moment might lead to an even darker and more disastrous future for our beloved Iran and its people.
May better days come. May a brighter future await us. To the readers of Mirass-e Iran, to Iranians both within and beyond our borders, and to people worldwide, I wish peace, tranquility, kindness, and friendship.