IRANIAN REFORMERS COME OUT IN FAVOUR OF PRESIDENT BUSH
PARIS 16 Jul. (IPS) As Iranian officials, including the embattled and powerless President and the powerful Chairman of the Expediency Council have denounced a recent statement in which the US President George W. Bush expressed support for forms in Iran, some reformists inside Iran had taken a more "positive" view, while some personalities and groups opposed to the Islamic Republic outside said they support the declaration.
Mr. Alireza Alavitabar, An influential journalist and scholar close to the reform movement, while seeing "positive points" in President Bush’s 12 July statement, is of the opinion that by expressing support for Iranian reformers, the United States is in fact "backing off" from plans for bringing radical changes in Iran.
"By expressing support for Iranians who supports political and economic reforms, Bush shows that he is not supporting those who are in favour of changing the Islamic Republic of Iran. He has also changed tune, since one does not sense the same bitter, inimical tone of the evil axis", said Mr. Alavitabar, according to the internet newspaper "Emrooz" (Today) published inside Iran.
"President Bush’s statement in support for the aspirations of Iranian people and denunciation of the crackdown on students and Iranian dissidents is not an act of interference in Iranian internal affairs", said Mr. Ali Keshtgar, the editor of the Paris-based "Mihan" monthly.
"Since the American president is backing true demands of the Iranian people and warns the autocratic authorities who are suppressing the will of the people, it is a duty for the Iranians to defend him, remembering that the Yugoslav and Afghan people were liberated thank to the American humanitarian intervention", Mr. Keshtgar noted, adding that the Iranian people, in their struggle for freedom and democracy, needs political and spiritual support from the international community.
The Political-Executive Bureau of the Feda’iyan Khalq (Majority) Organisation, in a statement, also published by the internet newspaper "Iran Emrooz" (Iran Today) announced its support for President Bush’s statement and expressed the hope to see the American Administration’s future moves on Iran to be based on that proclamation.
"The Fada’iyan Khalq, that, during all last years and months, has constantly criticised Mr. Bush and his policies towards Iran, including his placing Iran among the "evil states", as well as his plans to attack Iraq, or creating international changes to the American liking, while keeping with this line, announces its support for the recent statement issued by the American president and hopes that Washington’s policies in the future concerning our nation would continue to be in line with the 12 July statement, in which Mr. Bush has positively responded to the Iranian freedom-seekers struggling for freedom and democracy", the organisation said, observing that President Bush’s referring to the "great Iranian civilisation" corrects his "axis of evil" discourse.
Mr. Feyzollah Arab Sorkhi, a member of the pro-reform Organisation of the Mojahedeens of the Islamic Revolution (OMIR) pointed to the same passages of Mr. Bush, praising Iran as "an old, historic land, the birthplace of a great civilisation" and also confirming that the future of Iran must be decided by its people only".
Likewise, he pointed that if the authorities would have had a more positive stand after the former American President Bill Clinton and his Foreign Minister, Ms. Medeleine Albright admitted to past American "mistakes" in Iran, including the fomenting the 1953 coup against the popular nationalist Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mosadeq.
"Though the (Bush) statement has also negative points, however, it would have been better for out diplomacy and government to have paid due attention to its positive sides instead of rejecting it out hand", Mr. Arab Sorkhi suggested.
Both the Feda’iyan and Mr. Keshtgar said in their interventions that they think that Iranian reformers need support from outside and, "in the era of global village, it is one’s humanitarian duty to defend others fighting to human rights, democracy and freedom", they said, pointing out that "this is what Mr. Bush has done".
Islam Republic’s first elected president, Abolhasan Banisadr, who fled to France after Grand Ayatollah Roohollah Khomeini, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, deposed him, also described Mr. Bush’s statement as "important".
"This shows that he too, has finally heard the voice of Iranian people aspiring for changes and democracy", he told the Persian service of Radio France Internationale. ENDS BUSH REACTION 16702