Model Country

Roozonline:

“In a short time, Islamic Iran will be the model country for the world in the spheres of culture, construction, government, justice, distribution of wealth, and social welfare. Soon the dear Iranian nation will be proud and will shine on top of the world.”

Yes, these are the words of the Iranian president-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was speaking to the commanders of the Passdaran Revolutionary Guards since his election as the new president.

The news on his efforts to form a cabinet team is that while he is making these grand promises from a position that is still challenged by Mehdi Karoubi, the cleric who came third and who has resigned from political positions and even spoken to the leader of the country requesting an investigation that never came, his search for team mates is in trouble.

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Just recently the commander of the Passdaran Guards spoke of the “complexity” and different “layers” in Ahmadinejad’s search for cabinet members. Then, Keyhan newspaper, the spokesmedia for the extremist hardliners, wrote of the impossibility of predicting Ahmadinejad’s cabinet composition. Rumor has it has it that Keyhan has in its offices the list of the choices of the three specialized committees that looked into suitable cabinet members. And it is said that there are surprised on the list, whatever that means. The “surprise” element was also presented by Ms Fatemeh Elia, the same Majlis (Parliament) member who had recently “discovered the secret” [sic] for Condoleeza Rice’s dislike of Iran, who has said, “The composition of Ahmadinejad’s cabinet is going to surprise everyone. He is not after famous names.”

Ahmadinejad’s colleagues and friends have not been quiet in advancing their ideas on how to deal with the country’s current issues, suggesting they may be soon in positions where their views may easily become the official government positions and programs. For example, the new Police Chief, who was the Baseej para-military commander until just a few days ago, announced immediately after taking the new post that the police would “firmly” deal with all remnants of immorality and corruption in society. Not to be forgotten is that every year at around this time the police become harsher and more brutal with women and the youth who wish to make their own choice in clothing or their appearance.

On the issue of human rights, officials of the Tehran Province, like many members of Khatami’s cabinet, who already think and act like the new President, have still not issued the requested license for a meeting to call for political prisoner Akbar Ganji’s release and save his life from his hunger strike. A senior prison official has reveled that only Akbar Ganji is on a hunger strike, from the prisoners in the Tehran province. The spokesperson for the Judiciary Branch, on the other hand, has announced that the Judiciary has removed a number of officials for not observing the civil rights, adding that the conditions for the release of Akbar Ganji and Nasser Zarafshan’s, both political prisoners that have caught wide international attention and calls for freedom, are “legitimate.” It should be recalled that the Judiciary has said that both must renounce what they have done and request “pardons”, something both reject on grounds that they have not done anything wrong or illegal to request a pardon for.

Another political prisoner, Mojtaba Samiinejad, arrested on prison on charges of insulting the Prophet, continues to be in prison despite Judiciary’s announcement that he is free of any charges, according to his attorney.

On the international front, with her busy schedule, it seems that US Secretary Condoleeza Rice has not yet had the time to read the editorial of Keyhan newspaper, titled “The US is Done With” [sic], and continues to have faith in the investigation of the relationship between the new Iranian president and the hostage takers of the late 70s that held the US embassy staff for 444 days. She reminds her audiences that the international community shall not forget what happened to the Americans that were taken hostage in Iran.

Mehrdad Sheibani is a seasoned journalist and commentator living in exile.