An opinion piece in today’s The National (UAE) has an interesting take on the anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, given the current sensitivies in the Gulf over Iran’s growing economic interests in the region.
In it, author Sultan Bin Saud Al Qassimi (who founded Dubai’s Barjeel Securities) describes the early Revolution as a broad-based coaliltion of religious conservatives, communists, nationalists, and liberals that “lost its way” beginning with the takeover of the U.S. embassy in November of 1979.
The piece criticizes the emergence of the clerical elite and its preoccupation with external affairs and relative neglect of internal affairs, citing the Iran-Iraq war and creation of Hizbullah. But the author then immediately shifts into condemning Iran’s present relations with Venezuela and recent tensions over the dispute with the UAE over Abu Mousa, along with two other Gulf islands, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb.The article then runs through a litany of internal Iranian security and economic issues that the ruling clerical elite and revolutionary Guards continue to neglect.
One additional bit that deserves calling out is this:
It took the US government half a century to admit any wrongdoing and offer a tepid apology to the Iranian people for meddling in their affairs. Madeleine Albright, the former US Secretary of State, announced in the twilight of the Clinton administration that “it is easy to see now why many Iranians continue to resent this intervention by America in their internal affairs”. Too little, too late.
The turn of phrase is actually exactly in line with the feelings of many in the Iranian religious establishment. Here is Albright’s address in 2000 for reference, which was indeed met with derision and accompanied by a widespread crack down on Iranian liberals at the time. But I digress.
The article ends with congratulations to the UAE government’s pursuit of healtheir trade relations with Iran: “A revealing example of how importantly Iran regards its trade with the UAE emerged when it described the US pressure to limit the UAE’s trade with Iran as “illegal”, saying it would jeopardise the region’s economy.” A deftly-woven critique of the U.S. and powerful point of commonality, indeed.
It’s important in this context to remember that Iran’s economy is still dominated by its only state-sanctioned trade syndicate, the Revolutionary Guards. They of course still control both domestic and international economic activity in Iran – sanctions and frozen accounts aside.
In this case, the author’s chiding of current Iranian foreign policy (”…..maybe Iran should consider concentrating on its immediate challenges such as tackling unemployment and cross border terrorism rather than waste time with Hugo Chavez’s deliriums, Hassan Nasrallah and Khaled Meshaal’s empty rhetoric and the Holocaust denial conferences.”) and calls for the Revolution to “again find its way” are perhaps a not so subtle call to some in the Iranian ruling elite to rethink their priorities and regain the broad support of a populace long since marginalized.
And perhaps the UAE can offer constructive assistance and – who knows – investment in tackling more pressing economic challenges inside Iran.
0 Response to “The Revolution Has Lost Its Way, But UAE Can Help”