Opinion
By IfeanyiChukwu Afuba
DO Iran’s theocratic rulers ever get tired of swearing at Israel and the United States? Have the Iranian mullahs nothing else to do than rave and rant against Israel and the United States? Will they ever free themselves from the orgy of cursing Jews; from this daily incantation for Israel’s disappearance from the face of the earth? And what does Israel owe the hate – spewing establishment in Tehran, many never cease to wonder.
From Khomeini to Khamenei, it has been one long night of bigotry against Jews and the Jewish State. In a June 1, 2024 publication in Tehran Times, Soheila Zarfam recalled that the first supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini saw Israel as a “cancerous tumor”. London’s Guardian of October 26, 2005 reported Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying that “Israel should be wiped off the map (earth).” In 2015, the Islamic regime published a book, Palestine. New York Post of August 1, 2015 variously described the 416 page book as a “screed against the Jewish State”; concerned with “how to outwit US and destroy Israel.” Indeed, rallies and protests organised under the watch of the war – mongering regime are never complete without chants of “Death to Israel! Death to America!”
The regime began howling about Israel’s destruction soon after it seized power in Iran. The rascally invasion of the American embassy just weeks after coming to power in 1979 was a clear signal of its belligerence. Any thought that this was mere immaturity or political misadventure was quickly dispelled with the taking of American diplomats hostage. It was not enough for the putschists launching a new social order; demonising alternative worldviews and the interests they represented was as of much importance. Aside the US, they promptly began to denounce Israel both for it’s Judeo – Christian civilization and regional power status. In his aforementioned essay, Zarfam noted that Khomeini “urged Muslim nations to take pride in opposing Israel, which Khomeini viewed as an enemy of God and Islam.” It was the same Khomeini’s totalitarian order that declared a death sentence against Salman Rushdie in 1988 over The Satanic Verses considered critical of Islam.
Yambo Ologuem’s fiction title Bound to Violence perfectly fits the bellicosity of Iran’s theocratic rulership. In just a year of being in power, they plunged Iran into a senseless war with Iraq. And for most part of the war, its civilian dictatorship refused countless mediation efforts for a ceasefire. The militant clerics in Tehran were under the illusion that their army of zealots would win the war. And not just win the war, they lived under the delusion that it would be a
comprehensive and quick victory. At intervals in the eight year conflict, the Iranian high command would make noisy declarations of “this is the final push to Baghdad; and from there we shall march down to Israel.” Yet, for all of their vaunted military strength; people’s power and divine mandate, Iran never came close to defeating Iraq. After dragging for eight years, the war ended in a stalemate in 1988, exposing the delusional fixation of the Islamic Republic’s rulership.
In the paroxysms of the Iranian regime, we encounter the dangers of messianism in bold relief. Iran’s religious rulers have a fantasy of an ideal modern state founded on Sharia principles. At the same time, they daydream of a return to pre medieval society that tolerates no dissent from the divine right of kings. Blissfully insensitive to the inherent myopia, the power elite continues to campaign for universal reach of this theocracy. And the bushy bearded zealots of Tehran consider themselves acting on God’s behalf trying to execute this agenda.
The average Iranian must feel thoroughly embarrassed by the nuisance of the present regime. And it’s incontrovertible that Israel has no problems with the ordinary people of Iran. In words and deed, the Jewish State has always maintained that it’s adversary is the Shia leadership of Iran which continues to plot for Israel’s destruction. Before the ascent of the hate – spewing religious cabal in 1979, Iran and Israel had
good relations. The two countries enjoyed bilateral cooperation in a number of areas. But for the regime’s brutal suppression of critical voices, more protests would have been recorded against it than has been seen so far. Under a climate of civil rights and free flow of information, the regime would have been internally weakened, if not overthrown altogether. The question should be how much longer will enlightened Iranians and the civilized world endure the nuisance represented by this regime?
Iran’s economy has been wobbling for decades and the self – possessed regime in Tehran appears not to realise. If the regime heads are aware, then they don’t care. They appear undisturbed that the economy continues to shrink, so long it’s still able to manufacture weapons. While the fanatical regime considers its nuclear, arms, programme a major achievement, the provocative project has brought sanctions and notoriety to Iran.
Aside propping up terrorist militias in the Middle East, the regime is reckoned with for overflowing propaganda and war mongering. Progressive Iranians must find it scandalous that responsible governments around the world merely tolerate their home government. And the regime’s response is the proverbial case of men who find themselves trapped in a hole and yet, continue digging.
Consistent with its false consciousness, the noisy regime in Tehran refuses to come to terms with Israel’s demonstrated superiority over it. While the dictatorship’s henchmen seize every opportunity for a harangue against Israel, the latter has quietly focused on strategic containment of Tehran’s threat. Jerusalem has used cyber attacks to impede Iran’s race to acquire nuclear weapons. Between 2010 and 2020, five Iranian nuclear scientists were eliminated in expert undertakings bearing characteristics of Mossad operation. On 15 July, 2018, Israeli operatives entered Iran and succeeded in obtaining dossier of nuclear secrets. In 2021 and again in 2022, damage was inflicted on a centrifuge factory in Natanz with explosive devices. Then, on July 31, 2024, right under their very noses in Tehran, Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh was taken out of contention.
These events are significant for a number of reasons. They demonstrate the fact of Israel’s penetration of Iran. They further illustrate the capacity of the State of Israel to defend her interests and back up her foreign policy. However, the extent of Israel’s ability to operate inside Iran exposes the ruse of the Islamic regime. It puts a lie to the impression that the regime is popular and leading a mass movement. If anything, the disgruntled leadership is alienated from the people. It takes discontent, resentment and distrust to cooperate with foreign actors against the home government. Beyond the merits of intelligence and technology, Israel’s exploits required a level of collaboration with insiders in Iran to succeed. This linkage captures the added humiliation of the arrogant regime. The regime is left to contend with both Israel’s superiority in the power game and the internal disregard for it.
Yet, there is no hope that these sobering lessons will tame the regime. The corruption of absolute power continues to take its toll on Tehran’s ruling council. With a thick air of infallibility about it, the regime would rather wish away reality than subscribe to peaceful coexistence. And so, the ruling clique seek outlet for their frustrations in regular denunciation of the enemy. In the circumstance, it’s left for the free world to put a stop to the excesses of Tehran’s tyrants. It’s Israel today; who knows whose burden it will be next?
A.I
Nov. 17, 2024
Tags: IfeanyiChukwu Afuba
