Press TV has interviewed Massoud Shadjareh, Head of the Islamic Human rights Commission in London about what the 1979 victory and the unchanging stance of Iran against Western tyranny means to the people of other Middle Eastern and African nations trying to break the grip of Western-supported oppression. What follows is an approximate transcript of the interview.
Press TV: Why does it appear that Tehran and Washington has rarely been on the same page since 1979 and what do you think is the biggest impediment in this relationship?
Shadjareh: It's quite clear that despite every effort that the US has made to oppress not just people in Tehran and Iran, but right across the region, the Islamic revolution was victorious and ever since then it's been very very clear that the US is not supporting any democracy or empowerment of anyone in the region.
The US has systematically and continuously supported tyrant's leadership like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen, Egypt and you know, you could go right across the region. The fact of the matter is the only democracy and empowerment of people in that region was through the revolution of the Islamic Republic of Iran 33 years ago.
Since then, this obviously is the other side of the coin - it is the complete opposite - Sanctions on one side, empowerment of people, then you look at the achievements of the Islamic republic and you see the empowerment of people and the empowerment of women.
There are more university chancellors in Iran than there are in Britain. When you look at the number of women participating in politics etc etc you see that the empowerment has been total and complete.
When you look at the achievement in industry and the sciences and so forth, really this country Iran has thrived under the Islamic Republic while the rest of the region have been under the oppression of dictatorships supported and promoted by the US.
Press TV: Since last year we have seen many movements and revolutions in the Arab world and many say that it was the Islamic revolution of Iran, which brought an new alternative to the world. Prior to that we had the capitalist countries and we had the socialist communist block. What is your take on that? How influential do you think the victory of the Islamic revolution of Iran has been in general on what we are seeing today?
Shadjareh: The impact of the Islamic revolution in Iran has gone far beyond the region. The reality is that it was completely a breath of fresh air to see a tyrant like the Shah so powerful so connected to the US so much supported would be toppled so easily by masses going to streets.
When you look at the principles of what has happened in Egypt in Tunisia and elsewhere you see that actually it is exactly the same thing. Tyrants that are supported by the US are being toppled through empowerment of the people and then the people are turning to Islam. This is really exactly the model, which is taking place; exactly the same model that happened in Iran.
And when I traveled in Egypt and Tunisia and elsewhere you see very clearly people have been inspired by the fact of the victory of the Islamic revolution in Iran and the fact that the people have actually managed to achieve so much over the period despite the fact that the whole world has been against it.
Even when the Iraq war was unleashed against Iran, it wasn't just Iraq fighting it was actually the whole world supporting with chemical weapons, giving intelligence; the Saudis and the rest of those Gulf regions were actually putting the money in. So, Iran in some way was fighting the whole of the region and the superpowers, but it still got victorious and the continuation of empowerment of the people in Iran…
If anyone is under any illusion what sort of empowerment people have got in Iran, you just go to Iran and talk to the people, go around and see how the people are empowered in comparison to Saudi Arabia; in comparison to Bahrain, to Qatar and elsewhere in which they are living under tyranny of dictatorship supported by the US.
We hear it a lot by the West and from the US that we care about women's issues and women's rights - what about the Saudi women who are not permitted to even drive? No body cares about them because the fact of the matter is all the US and the West is interested in is how they will empower and use and abuse all the people of the region for their interests.
Unfortunately or fortunately, people are waking up. In Egypt when you go to Tahrir Square you see how people have awakened to this oppression and the fact that the US has been instrumental in supporting the tyranny against them.
Press TV: Today as we witnessed especially those of us here in Tehran on the streets we've witnessed millions of people coming out once again. What do you think is the key to this? - Why Iranians - 33 years and of course there have been many ups and downs under lots of pressure and an extreme amount of propaganda, but once again we witness millions of people coming out in support of the Islamic republic.
Shadjareh: People realize that the Islamic Revolution has served them well. You know, it's given them security… When you look around at the neighboring countries you see the insecurity; you see the chaos unfortunately that is ruled through the interference of the US - this has that people have been protected against that.
But also, what we have seen in Iran for the last 30 years and hopefully in places like Egypt and Tunisia and beyond that is that since the Islamic system, which is actually morally uplifting. It has got moral principles; it's not like the sort of oppressive and dictatorial and colonial sort of attitude of the West, which is morally bankrupt.
SC/MA
Original Page: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/226273.html