July 17, 2008
Dr Shahram Taromsari
The political fall out of the recent ruling against British government regarding the legal position of the PMOI, highlights the most peculiar chapter in West Iranian relationship. One of the most important pillars of diplomacy is the concept of rewards and punishments. For almost three decades, western diplomacy towards Iran has been lacking a clear sense of direction, in particular that of Britain.
Unlike west, Iran has had clear foreign policy objectives and has been successful in achieving some of its goals given the absence of any punishments from international community. Khomeini declared export of revolution (Iranian brand of extremist Islam) as the primary foreign policy objective and the use of violence, deception and supports for Islamic extremist groups became the methods by which those objectives were to be attained. His doctrine was nether East nor West but Islam. For many years even though the evidence of Iranian agenda was before the decision makers but they either refused to take it serious or failed to understand the nature of threat posed by Iran and its global ambitions. At best they thought they could influence Irans behaviour and at worse apply the same rules that contained the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Just as world failed to understand the nature of Nazism until it was too late, they failed to grasp the threat Iran poses to regional and global security. Those who pursed the policy of appeasement by arguing emergence of moderate faction or factions in Iran were victim of their own ignorance of Khomeinis brand of Islam. In the 80s they declared Rafsanjani as a moderate and in the late 90s he becomes a radical again. They called Khatami a moderate when Khatami himself pledged loyalty to what Khomeni stood for! They saw the evidence of Iranian involvements in Lebanon and yet rewarded Iran with arms to secure their hostages. In France, Iranians were implicated in terrorist activities and yet were rewarded with allowing them to leave the French soli. There are too many examples to mention but it just highlights the wests inability to challenge the Iranian influence. It is Iran who dictates their terms and conditions on the international community and are rewarded with yet more incentives and rewards, not the other way round.
Some may argue its too late to stand up to Iran. The ruling by the British court could be a new chapter in British Foreign policy only if the British decision makers have the sense to realise that appeasement only rewarded Iran for challenging the international community.
For seven years the PMOI (Peoples Mojahedin Organisation of Iran) was listed unjustly as a terrorist organisation when the real god fathers of terrorism were being appeased. It is ironic that a British court has to conduct British foreign policy by highlighting who the British should ally themselves with.
Iranian opposition under the leadership of Mrs Maryam Rajavi has shown for many years to be a mature, well discipline and forward looking force for change in Iran. For three decades they have remained focused to rid the region and the world from the manes of Islamic extremism which is supported by Iran. They want Iran and the Iranian people to have a constructive role in the Middle East rather than be source of instability which this regime symbolises. They want Iran to rejoin the family of nation rather than be isolated and suffer for the actions that are undertaken by the mullahs in Iran. An Iran in peace with herself will impact on rest of the wider Middle East and can be a contributing factor to global security.
The solution as stated by the Iranian opposition leadership is neither appeasement, nor war. These two policies are the two sides of the same coin. The policy of appeasement has caused immense suffering for Iranian people and all those who are targets of the Iranian ambitions in the region and beyond. It has also given the Iranians and their proxies everywhere the confidence to dictate their terms on the international community. The solution is in the hands of the Iranian opposition under Maryam Rajavis leadership. Democratic change by the Iranian people and their resistance is an attainable goal.
Dr Shahram Taromsari, Former Lecturer in International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies, Consultant on Middle Easter Affairs
