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The Radical Roots of Iran's "Reformist"
The media has been eager to portray President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's chief rival in today's Iranian elections as a "reformist" candidate, but a survey of Mir Hussein Moussavi's record shows him to be yet another radical.
As prime minister during the 1980s, Moussavi was routinely described as a "militant" and "hard-liner" in press accounts. He celebrated Islamists' seizure of of the U.S. Embassy, backed the Supreme Leader's call for author Salman Rushdie's murder, and had ties to Lebanese terrorist goup Hezbollah. He has been quoted as referring to America as "the Great Satan" and to Israel as a "cancerous tumor."
A Nexis search of old reports from the New York Times yielded these descriptions of Moussavi (I've placed the dates in parentheses):
"...Prime Minister Mir Hussein Moussavi, one of the Iranian regime's most severe militants." (Feb. 17, 1989)
"Iran's Prime Minister, Mir Hussein Moussavi, a prominent member of the militant wing in the Iranian leadership who has opposed economic liberalization at home and political openings to the West, added his voice today to the growing current of combativeness in Iran." (Feb. 22, 1989)
"Another prominent hard-liner was also left off the new Cabinet list: Mir Hussein Moussavi, the current Prime Minister..."(Aug. 20, 1989)
In the Feb. 22 story I cited above, it says, Moussavi "asserted that Ayatollah Khomeini's orders to kill Mr. Rushdie for what Iranian fundamentalists say is the blaspheming of Islam in his book 'The Satanic Verses' would be carried out, according to a Teheran radio broadcast monitored by the Associated Press in Nicosia."
On October 9, 1981, the Times spoke to Moussavi, and he addressed the seizure of the U.S. Embassy:
In the interview, Mr. Moussavi said Westerners in general and Americans in particular also had difficulty understanding why Iran held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. The hostage affair served the revolution's purpose, the Foreign Minister said.
''It was the beginning of the second stage of our revolution,'' after the overthrow of the Shah, Mr. Moussavi said. ''It was after this that we rediscovered our true Islamic identity.''
''After this, we felt the sense that we could look Western policy in the eye and analyze it the way they had been evaluating us for many years.''
Moreover, he said, the seizure of the United States Embassy in Teheran ended the ''problem of pro-American circles and their following in Iran.'' This was apparently an allusion to the ouster of Mr. Bani-Sadr who, with other secular Iranian officials, had urged that the hostages be released.
A former Iranian intelligence officer has been quoted by Newsmax as saying Moussavi was one of the founders of Hezbollah. Even if one were to dismiss that report, it's undeniable that he was supportive of Hezbollah. This Associated Press account from Oct. 27, 1985 explains how Moussavi introduced his cabinet (keep in mind that "Party of God" is the translation of "Hezbollah"):
Iran's official Islamic press agency reported Mr. Moussavi's comments as Parliament opened debate on nominations to the Cabinet at the start of the second term of Mr. Moussavi and the President, Hojatolislam Ali Khamenei.
The agency, monitored in Nicosia, quoted Mr. Moussavi as saying Ali Akbar Mohtashami, the proposed Interior Minister, was a religious figure noted for his work with the Party of God, in Lebanon. The Party of God is one of the most radical Shiite Moslem groups in Lebanon.
The agency quoted Mr. Moussavi as saying the proposed Minister of Culture and Higher Education, Mohammed Farhadi, was one of the Party of God figures at Teheran University. He referred to former Oil Minister Mohammed Gharazi, nominated to become Minister of Post and Telephone, as ''one of the most revolutionary figures of the country.''
Michael Goldfarb has more, including this from a 1998 Reuters report:
In a Foreign Ministry statement read on Tehran radio today, Iran said that Israel should be annihilated and that implicit recognition of it by the Palestine Liberation Organisation ignored the inalienable rights of the Muslim Palestinan people.
The statement said that the only way to achieve Palestinian rights was continuation of all-out popular struggles against Israel.
Iranian Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi yesterday called Israel a "cancerous tumour" and said the Palestinian move to accept UN Resolution 242 would anger Muslim revolutionaries.
He also notes that, "In 1987, Reuters quoted Mousavi at a demonstration in Tehran saying 'Tomorrow will be the day we step on the Great Satan. Tomorrow is the time for America to see our iron fists.'"
Even though the president of Iran doesn't have real power, should Moussavi win, the media will no doubt attempt to portray his election as a "sea change" in Iran. But his long record of radicalism suggests otherwise.
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Folklight| 6.12.09 @ 5:33PM
With a population of 70 million, Iran is not the nation it was before or during the revolution of 1979. Life under the Sha grew repressive (following an assassination attempt) and his reign was viewed as that of a puppet government, this forged the alliance which rules today's Islamic Republic of Iran. The facts driving a push for reform in today's voting are found in demographics as well as Persian history. There are similarities in the current 'reformist' movement and the upheaval of 30 yrs ago despite that fact that more than two-thirds of Iran's present population is under 30 years old.
Is history repeating itself in Iran?
Mousavi's campaign has captured the most attention and has rekindled reformist tendencies of Persian people. "What I've seen on the streets of Tehran is visible in the rest of the country," says Mousavi. "There's a sense of identity, and a bravery to express a desire for change. What I have done is provide a focal point for people's dissatisfaction." Mousavi is in many ways an unlikely champion of this crowd. His history as a revolutionary led to his election as the Islamic Republic's first prime minister, and his talk of exporting the revolution to the rest of the Middle East gave no hints of any reformist leanings. But 20 years out of the political fray, during which time he built a career as an architect and occasional painter, appears to have mellowed the ideologue in him. "The conditions in this country have changed," he says. "The revolution has changed. There were specific conditions at the beginning of the revolution, particular motives and the motivation." It's time for Iran to understand that its place in the world is as a partner and a power, he says. (quotes from Al Jazeera interview)
Questions remain but do you believe people can change over time and do you expect to engage Iran, to the extent that any persuasion is possible, by imitating them thru threats or "demonizing" their nation. The Persian people do not love death more than life (ala Islamofascists) and we must reinforce their theocracy by behaving like one.
As the Mantra of Hope and Change spreads, the outcome of this election hangs in the balance. People across the globe watch and pray for peace and prosperity. God willing it will be so!
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In A Perfect World war would not be taught or practiced.
-- Folklight --
Sean| 6.12.09 @ 5:52PM
I am sure declaring America as "the Great Satan" is just pro forma politics in Iran.
Mary| 6.12.09 @ 7:50PM
Iran is an interesting Country.
Way back when, PBS aired a documentary on the Hostage crisis. All those who were held captive were interviewed. At the end of the interview, one of the reporters said that the captors, to a man, asked for help in getting a Green Card.
Sometime after the Iraq war began a poll was conducted that showed a high percentage of young people like the United States. I believe that.
The quotes you posted are not very encouraging, and it was interesting to me that Moussavi's wife distanced herself from a comparison to Michelle Obama. It was a simple statement, but I'd love to know what she was thinking about when she made it. I don't get the sense that it was a humble or self-effacing gesture. Iran's probable new First Lady is very impressive.
I don't know if he'll ever get the credit, but if Iran is inching towards reclaiming a non-theocratic history, President Bush did much to boost this. I hope, if my thinking isn't skewed here, that Iranians are the first to reveal that President Bush inspired them. For all the lies about President Bush's war against Islam, he was a friend to Muslims, and I bet many would agree.
To my friend Youssef: Godspeed! A truer gentleman, I've not known.
Thomas| 6.13.09 @ 10:56AM
Iran is an interesting country. And its governing structure is not what is portrayed in the media. Media reports would have one believe that Iran is a democracy, where the votes of the people count. This is simply false. Iran is a theocratic oligarchy which can best be called a benevolent autocracy. At the top of the governmental structure is the Supreme Leader, an unelected autocrat who is chosen by the Assembly of Experts, a body of clerics "elected" by popular vote every eight years. Then comes the President. Every candidate for this , and every other , office is screened by the Council of Guardians and must have their approval to stand for election. Interestingly, half of the members of the Council are appointed by the Supreme Leader and the remaining six are "elected" by the Parliament from among candidates nominated by the Head of the Judiciary, who is, himself, directly appointed by the Supreme Leader. The Council also has the power to veto any law passed by the Parliament by deeming it incompatible with the Constitution or Sharia Law. Should the Parliament challenge this ruling, the Expediency Council [wholly appointed by the Supreme Leader by the way] settles the dispute.
Get the idea? The Supreme Leader, with the consent of the Council of Experts, controls the entire political process in Iran; from start to finish. There is real choice in the election of a President, only a choice as to the face in office.
This has nothing do with the people of Iran. To a large extent they, as most populations, are captives to the people in power. Unfortunately, the citizens of a country suffer for the acts of their leaders.
Pingback| 6.13.09 @ 4:00PM
Ahmadinejad’s chief rival isn’t a “reformist” … he’s woven from the same radical fabr links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
KGT| 6.15.09 @ 10:34PM
The Mousavi of 1979 or 1989 is not necessarily the Mousavi of 2009. People often change as they get older. Yesterday's hardline radical is frequently today's moderate reformer. You haven't cited a single quote that wasn't from 20 years ago or more.
We should be wary but writing Mousavi off as just another radical would be a big mistake.