Shahrokh Ahkami
Persian Heritage, #100, Spring 2021
The celebration of Norouz, which is considered the awakening of nature and the birth of Spring has been celebrated for thousands of years by Iranians around the world including the honorable people for Khorasan, the Central Asian landscapes of Kurdistan, Turkey, Iraq, Syria and the lost land of the greater Caucus Region. It is a holiday filled with joy. The preparations for this holiday begin weeks and months earlier. The joy leading up to the actual day is filled with happiness as we prepare to replace the sadness and worries of the past and welcome the new year. It is a year we hope will bring more happiness to ourselves our families, our friends and of course the world.
This is the second Norouz that our celebration will be impacted by this horrific and brutal Covid-19 virus, one that has destroyed lives throughout the world. With all that has happened it is comforting to see the resiliency of people. It is heartwarming also to see how we are embracing this Norouz with the hope and joy that this traditional holiday brings. Of course, it is unfortunate that due to restrictions on the number of people allowed at gatherings that the large celebration parties of Norouz have been canceled or replaced with smaller gatherings. In some cases, it will be immediate family with parents and grandparents absent due to the anxiety of spreading the virus. But the fact that we are HERE at all to celebrate is the first blessing of this new year.
As I always do, I wish this coming Norouz will be a new beginning and a year celebrated with health and prosperity for all Iranians and the people of the world. And as I always do I want to thank all the dedicated individuals, who for so many years, have contributed their time and efforts to Persian Heritage which has helped us keep Persian culture alive. To all of you I am humbled by your generosity and support and wish you all a prosperous, healthy and happy new year.
This Norouz Iranians are celebrating the last year of the 14th century, 1400 centennial. (Of course, Norouz has a history of thousands of years ago prior to the Achaemenid Dynasty but the 1400 calendar in the present). Perhaps by the end of this year all the problems the people of Iran have endured will cease to exist. Perhaps the wishes we have for Iranians in this new century, freedom, equality, pride and honor, will come to fruition.
My generation and the one before me, over 40 years ago, started a movement that overthrew a regime. It was done with the hope that this action would bring new freedoms and independence for the people of Iran. It did not take long before their hopes were shattered and replaced with disappointment. In a short period of time the tactful strategy of the government leadership, Iran’s vibrant youth and intellectuals were removed and replaced with individuals who had no intention to provide the people their human rights. They made their dreams and hopes unattainable.
The new leaders took it upon themselves to cleanse the country by committing mass executions and mass incarcerations of the intellectuals. Others just fled their homeland. The new leadership took complete control of the country and this control remains today. The cleansing of intellectual and brain drain continues. Anyone who dares to speak against their policies is quietly taken away or is faced with execution.
The economic crisis in Iran is due in part to the hardening of the sanctions placed on Iran. Iranians now face dire financial situations and hardships. People in Iran are now experiencing a new era of hardships. The head of the household from dawn to dusk struggles to put food on the table. Inflation, greed and mismanagement of the country’s leaders has led to bad policy making, crippling the country. One of the hardest hit areas is Sistan-Baluchestan province. Lack of leadership has forced the desparate people of this region, to smuggle fuel and gasoline across the border in an effort to support and feed their families. According to reports some have been shot by authorities.
Of course, the question remains, if the desperate people of these provinces were given the opportunity to live better lives, would the need for them to smuggle fuel across the border and possibly lose their lives in the interim, continue or end?
Today with the availability of different media platforms such as Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, information to individuals in Iran and outside Iran allows us to hear about the daily atrocities being committed and the executions and incarcerations of political prisoners. We also hear the reports of severe punishment of individuals who commit minor crimes of theft to survive, while the leaders who steal millions of dollars out of the pocket of their citizens are pardoned. Some of the corrupt leadership have fled the country with the help of authorities and migrated to Canada, Germany and other countries. Their actions show their disrespect for Iran and the citizens who continue to feel the peril of a corrupt government and economic sanctions.
In the last 40 years since the rise of the Islamic Republic Regime, religious values among the people have deteriorated. It is reported that many individuals, including those from my generation, have turned against their religious values; that many who worshiped the words of Ali Shariati (religious scholar and mesmerizing speaker) regret upholding such beliefs and some followers of Shariati’s of today have lost all credibility among the people, as they are blamed for all the unpleasantness of the past 40 years.
In this new century let us hope the existing regime leadership will realize their lack of ability to successfully lead Iran into a new beginning. In this new century let us hope the existing regime leadership will realize their mistakes and step down and allow the innocent people of Iran the opportunity to take fate into their hands through new leadership, one that will stop the corruption and atrocities.
In this new century let us hope theft from Iran’s treasury stops. In this new century let us hope that Iran’s foreign policies will improve with the international community. In this new century let us hope that the mending of international relationships will result in the release of billions of dollars of assets held in foreign banks which can be used towards the development and improvements of the country and benefit its people. When one looks at the development of neighboring countries such as Turkey and the Emirates one can only gasp as to how unfortunate it is that Iran with its geographic advantages and its natural resources is in such a dire situation.
Iranian scholars, scientists, intellectuals are head of some of the largest world corporations. If only a few returned to Iran, it could return to normalcy and have a successful future filled with freedom and progress; one that will continue the historical Iranian contributions Iran and its citizens have given to the world.
Imagine an Iran with leadership that returned to its citizens the inalienable rights of free speech, free press and religion. Imagine an Iran that is a country opened to travel by individuals, one that allows the Diaspora without fear to return for a visit with their families and loved ones and see its beautiful landscapes.
It is unfortunate that present suppression, restrictions, unethical tactics by the leadership thwarts our ability to imagine Iran as above. It is unfortunate that the successful Iranian Diaspora are not able to enjoy their successes in their home country.
A few weeks ago, the engine of a Boeing 777 shortly after takeoff failed, forcing the plane to return to the airport. We are grateful the talented and professional pilot landed the plane safely. His name is Behnam. He was praised for his talents. Such talented Iranian Americans reside around the world and call new countries home. Maybe they are part of the brain drain from Iran, maybe not. Regardless they are part of the heritage of an historical empire and show the continued intelligence and potential of Iranians.
Perhaps a new regime will stop the desire of anyone to leave their homeland except by choice. Perhaps a new regime will stop the need of talented individuals in sports, education, science, medicine, engineering etc. to want to remain in the country of their birth and hold its flag rather than one of another nation.
The famous saying goes, “the past is the past and its gone”. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Iran could recap the past and before it is too late begin to build a bright future for its citizens? Iran needs to open the doors to its Diaspora and foreigners. Iran needs to remain one country and keep its sovereignty. Iran needs to commence talking to the international community and rebuild its broken bridges. Iran needs to create a friendly harmonious space for the future of the younger generations.
Once again, I wish all Iranians a new year filled with health, prosperity and happiness. I wish for an end to this horrific killer Covid 19 virus. I wish for vaccines that will allow us to touch and hug again. Let us celebrate the welcoming of this new year and the beginning of a new century by toasting the end of this Corona virus with a bottle of Corona beer.
Hoping for more better days in the future.