National issue

Iranian blogger, Ahmad zidabadi, Rooz Online:

The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran insists on calling Iran’s nuclear issue the “national case”. I do not understand this insistence or why is the issue a ”national” one.

If those who call the issue a national one mean that its outcome will determine the destiny of the Iranian nation, which it will, what is the importance and value of this interpretation of the word “national” for its insistence? The fluctuation of the price of oil in international markets too affects the destiny of the Iranian nation so should that too be called “national?”

If the meaning of the word is that the goal of attaining the nuclear fuel cycle at any cost is a national goal of the whole Iranian population because it provides the national interest, then this is what I ask: How so? Did the Iranian nation have the possibility of openly and publicly debating the benefits and disadvantages of attaining the nuclear fuel cycle? READ MORE

Unfortunately the authorities of the Islamic Republic have created such a closed atmosphere on the issue and react so strongly towards any criticism of the issue that no one dares to say anything publicly on the issue, let alone oppose the goal.
The possibility that, in an open and free atmosphere, the majority of Iranians may opt for the goal of acquiring the nuclear fuel cycle even at the expense of economic sanctions and military attack on the country’s infrastructure cannot be ruled out, but without such a discourse how can one talk of such a support?

The issue of course does not end here. Labeling the issue “national” raises responsibilities and bears consequences. There is a price for the relegation of the issue to the national level. The term assumes a belief in the supremacy of the nation-state in the contemporary age. Such a belief is based on the acceptance of equal rights for all the inhabitants or at least citizens of the land, regardless of their religious or political views. Do the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran believe in such a principle or see themselves bound by it?

Unfortunately not only do the authorities not see themselves committed to the principle of equal rights for all its citizens, they do not even believe in it and in fact expressly and formally reject it. One should note the response of the Iranian conservatists against the motto of Iranian reformers: “Iran for all Iranians”.

This motto is the most general and all-encompassing goal in accepting the principle of supremacy of the nation-state and equal rights for its citizens. The conservatists have declared this motto not only to be incompatible with their understanding of religion, but have even said it equals atheism. On what basis do those who do not want “Iran for all Iranians” and do not understand the principle, speak of the nuclear issue being “national”?

Is it even possible to divide the Iranian nation into different castes and accept special rights and privileges to those who believe in the principles of the authorities while denying those who criticize or oppose them politically their very basic rights and yet talk of a “nation” or “national” issue?

So if the Iranian government wishes to insist that the nuclear issue is a “national” one, it must first recognize the equal rights of people and only then use such terms. Otherwise, it only deforms the true meaning of such concepts.