khamenei’s priorities
Upcoming “Elections” in Iran anything but FREE
Up to a few weeks ago, the upcoming elections in Iran gave rise to hopes that Ahmadinejad’s successor might be someone who can create a paradigm shift in Iran’s priorities.
Those hopes died out quite quickly as over 680 candidates were disqualified leaving only Khamenei’s puppets on the field.
Khamenei’s Priorities are OUTbound
Based on Khamenei’s actions and rhetoric in the past, no one should have been surprised: the Supreme Leader has not flinched from his policies since the crisis over Iran’s suspect nuclear program blew up. In fact, Khamenei’s policies can be summed up as being OUTbound, focusing on Iran’s positioning in the Middle East, instead of being INbound and focusing on the livelihood of the Iranian people.
Money that should have allowed Iranians to enjoy the luxuries of an energy-rich nation is consistently channeled outward to support terrorist groups and Syria and a highly suspect nuclear program.
Khamenei ignores internal economic priorities
Iran’s strategy of denial and non-transparency, together with its Armageddon-type rhetoric regarding its nuclear program, led to sanctions and an estimated cost of over $100 Billion, leaving the Iranian economy to an all-time low.
Iran’s economy, recently ranked by Reuters at 168 out 177, is in shambles. On a macro-economic level, the Rial has devalued by over 80%, inflation is estimated at 40%, the deficit has reached an all-time high of $133 billion and the future looks bleak.
On the level of the average Iranian, these macro indicators are translated into a drastic decrease in purchasing power: natural gas/diesel/gasoline prices have risen steeply (800%, 900% and 400% respectively), real estate in Tehran has risen over 100% in one year, imports of medicine have dropped by 54% (imports of cars and cloth are dropping steadily) and food shortages are growing daily.
Iran’s nuclear program – asset or liability?
Notwithstanding the probable military aspect of Iran’s nuclear program, no one, least of all the IAEA and the UN, disputes the rights of Iran to produce nuclear electricity but nearly everything about Iran’s insistence on its nuclear program just does not make sense.
Iran has relatively no uranium to fuel its nuclear ambitions meaning that it will always be dependent on foreign supplies to run its reactors. Furthermore, Iran’s attempts at hiding the true nature of its nuclear program have increased the costs of establishing and maintaining nuclear plants by huge investments in underground facilities and geographical isolation.
On the other hand, Iran has the 4th largest reserves of oil and 2nd largest reserves of natural gas in the world – enough energy to power Iran for centuries.
Furthermore, green energy in the form of Hydro, Wind or Solar has huge potential that is wholly untapped: A sound solar energy program could supply 13 times the electricity needs at a fraction of the cost of a nuclear power as well as a release from sanctions – A real win-win-win situation.
And yet, the Iranian regime, with Khamenei at its head repeatedly chooses to place its nuclear aspirations and its support of terrorism before the needs of its people and that means that the next president has to continue toeing the line of an economic policy that is based on fear.
Despite his repeated denials concerning weapons of mass-destruction, Khamenei’s nuclear gamble at the expense of the Iranian people makes sense only if he does intend to build a bomb designed to be a game changer for Iran in the Middle East. Once that happens, the potential for an all-out, perhaps even nuclear, war will be imminent with devastating repercussions for all.
Elections will Strengthen Khamenei and Weaken the Iranian People
Until then, the Iranian people are the real victims and due to the laws governing elections in Iran, they will continue suffering since the next president will not represent the people of Iran but will represent the priorities of their Supreme Leader.
In general, elections are meant to represent the people who set out to vote for their priorities and their conscience. The elections in Iran, as well as the next president of Iran, represent the priorities and the conscience of one man alone – a Supreme Leader who seems to be blind to the needs of his people at the expense of his regime’s dominance at all costs.
Update: Iranians Protest Against Dictator Khamenei
- Support Syria: https://iran2407.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/khameneis-priority-support-syria-at-all-costs/
- Power/Terror: https://iran2407.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/khameneis-priorities-power-through-terror/
- Attacking Khamenei’s Priorities: https://iran2407.wordpress.com/2013/06/10/khameneis-nuclear-priority-under-attack/
Here’s a persian version – please share:
IRAN 24/07 
Good write.
Thanks – please share.
Hmm, first of all, hezbollah is seen as ‘terrorists’ only by few countries in the world. Secondly, of course it’s all about the interests, Iran is no different than any other country there. The U.S, are giving billions to israel every year, despite the fact we’re living in hard economical times and high unemployment rate all across America. Finally, Iranians are very proud of their own nuclear program (according to many polls) and there’s been no evidence their program is meant to build a bomb. Moreover, “nuclear card” is actually very strong and khamenei is smart to keep it in the game. I don’t believe in “all out nuclear war” even if Iran gets nukes one day. Why would such a war happen? there’s been no war between nuclear enemies like Russia/China-the U.S.or India-Pakistan. North Korea hasn’t attacked anyone either. Just my 5 cents.
Thank you for your input.
I think that Hezbollah is generally thought of as a terrorist faction although it is understandable that some people/countries think otherwise.
Iran, having signed the NPT agreements is free to develop a peaceful nuclear program and Iranians should rightly be proud to have such a program.
The question of proof for a military aspect to this program is a tricky one since the Iranian regime has gone to great lengths to hide parts of its program from the IAEA/UN inspectors and has not answered questions by the IAEA concerning discrepancies in their reports (their latest report – http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/world/2013/IAEAreportiran.pdf). Furthermore, notwithstanding the pride of Khamenei’s regime in a “legitimate” program, it is hard to understand why Iran is willing to undergo such heavy sanctions and isolation – it makes sense only if Iran does really have something to hide.
As to nuclear war – the question is not whether a country has a nuclear bomb or not but wether that country’s leadership has something to gain from using it…i hope that we will never get to the question of Iran’s willingness to go down that road out of its hatred for Israel.
Well, you know how they say; One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. Just look at Afghanistan’s mujahideens & taliban: in the past the CIA provided billions of dollars in arms to them to aid them in their fight against the Soviets, yet after 9-11 those very same type of fighters became “terrorists”. Or look at Syria’s rebels, are they terrorists or not? Depends on who you ask. As for Hezbollah, according to wikipedia, only 8 countries in the world classify it as a terrorist organization. Others do not. So much about “generally thoughts”.
The question of proof for a military aspect to this program is a tricky one, I agree. It’s hard to prove anything, that’s why I laughed at Netanyahu’s drawing a red line’ on Iran nuclear bomb chart at the UN. Israel itself has nuclear bombs
and it rejects international supervision, refusing to sign the non-proliferation treaty. Double standards? You bet.
As you well said, Iran has signed the NPT agreement. Khamenei has also reiterated a number of times that the use of nuclear weapons is prohibited under Islamic law. Of course, those two facts doesn’t guarantee you anything, but they’re still important. Another thing is that Iranians are proud nation, they don’t want the west telling them what to do and how to do when it comes to their nuclear program, even if that means heavy sanctions and isolation.
As for why they’re hiding parts of its program, I don’t think it necessary means they really have something to hide. Maybe they do, maybe they don’t. Remember Saddam’s WMD? He knew he didn’t have any, but he refused to admit it to the world, as he was afraid of Iran and he believed it’s better his enemies think he has it.
Finally, even if Iran had nuclear weapons, I don’t think it’d be willing to attack anyone. Rather than that, they would use it as a strong negotiation too, plus they would feel more confident that Israel won’t dare to attack them.
This is a true lie, nothing can replace nuclear power, except fusion power that will be the next big thing when someday it comes into operation. Actually nuclear power is so important that they are building mini reactors that can eventually be used for space travels etc…..its all about west not wanting other nations to develope, nothing more nothing less.
Yes there is no freedom in Iran as the same extent there is in other countries, yes peoples oil wealth is being stolen. but dont mix atrocities with a countries rights to develope their nuclear infranstructure.
Regime change and peoples wish for better life does not mean submission to wests unrealistic and colonial demands. Whatever they wanna develope in iran is not wests business. how come only west is concerned about iran? russia china, africa, asia has not pushed for sanctions.
Its all about west not wanting any country in mideast to develope.
Freedom for all nations to develope as they wish to.
Any country signing the NPT agreement should be allowed to develop a nuclear program. The scary part about Iran’s nuclear program is that a) Iran is going to enormous measures to hide parts of its program and is willing to undergo a huge economic crisis to do so and b) the Iranian regime is constantly sending out mixed signals on the military aspect of its programs ranging from a fatwa denouncing the use of nuclear weapons to “armagedon”-type warnings of wiping Israel off the face of the earth.
For the contains of the report, up there, this remmber me, that all this bananas republiquets, got the same politics, civilian rights repression,, and the economic pain for their peoples.
I think that its not only in Iran, as we read up there, but also, as we lived personaly in countries in south american region, we suffer this hard and out of rights politics iin Argentina, for instance the use of the state force and patota- imposition of economic mesures by state functioners, as Guillermo moreno, Interior comerce Secretary, formerly hardware store owner,, who dont know the minor idea of what is the day by day common people economy,, and the kinda state politics needed by the commerce.I think that the same happends in a lot of countries as Iran.
For those reasons it is sure that the power to replace who makes to suffer in Iran, are in the own iranian peoples hands, We wish persian people go massively and with courage to the next june 14 polls to try, at least that the ajatollahs cruel dictatorshipness will to fell in the power .
Thank you for your comment.
Unfortunately, Iran is far from being a banana republic because Khamenei’s ambitions are much greater and his nuclear ambitions can get him there.
Isn’t it time to take out this dictator? One man is pulling all the strings despite the guise of a democratically elected government. This one man is worse than Khrushchev ever was.
I am sure that there are people in Iran who would like to change the whole regime. Unfortunately for them, the regime’s hold on power is very strong and an uprising might lead them into a civil war resembling Syria.
Bad belle. can’t you leave Iran alone. Until every nation is judge by a uniform standard, the World can not knows peace. What is good for the goose, is also good for the gander.,period!
Thank you for your comment.
It is not a question of leaving Iran alone or not because Iran would like to see itself as a leader of a global change mirroring its own in a very aggressive manner. Notice that the Iranian regime’s rhetoric is filled with veiled or open threats to its neighbors and anyone that is tagged as being a puupet of the West.
i do agree with you though that there should be uniform standards.
Wasiu or what you called yourself, OLE, YOU better not contribute on this podium. Remove the speck in your shameless eye ( BOKO HARAM ) before you removed in other people’s eyes. Bloody Alfa, Ole
Which governs Iran is of Arab origin, just doing Khamenei is a natural result of the culture, when judged Iran Persian man will change everything
Iran economy is bad because the ”West” has created every possible obstacles but the great Iranian nation has contained the adverse effects and will overcome all such impediments FREEDOM HAS A HIGH PRICE. In so far as nuclear programme is concerned -what is good for the goose is good for the gander
Thank you for your comment.
understandably, i do not agree that it is the “West” that put up all the obstacles sinc Tehran’s nuclear program is anything but transparent – IAEA inspectors are still denied access to some sites, uranium enrichment is above the permitted levels and there are still issues that have not received answers.
I also am not too sure that Khamenei is fighting for freedom – freedom from what? from who? The Iranian people should focus less on freedom from outside influences and focus on freedom within Iran, beginning with free elections that will once and for all test how much Khamenei’s priorities are those of the Iranian people.
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destroy khamenei and all the other murdering thieves that have stolen our country
Thank you for your comment but I doubt that that would help anyone.
the situation is so complicated as it is that such a deed might topple Iran into a civil war similar to Syria.
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Although they say that ones man terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter, in order for this to be true the “freedom fighter” must indeed deliver freedom. Hizbolah’s actions are against the interests of the Lebanese state and they definitely do not promote any form of freedom – unless you consider shiite radicalization of the population to be liberating.
Such statements sound appealing in a political debate but they only serve to justify moral ambivalence – giving an opportunity for the terrorists to thrive. Terror is like pornography. You know it when you see it.
About comparing the money thrown away on supporting Assad instead of doing something good for the good people of Iran: @Sam brought the example of America giving billions to Israel while the US itself is in financial dire straits. This claim is only partially true: Israel gets about two billion in military credit. Credit, not money. This means that the 2 billion MUST be used to buy products, maintenance and service ONLY from US firms. The so called financial-aid does not leave the USA. In other words, this aid is nothing more than an indirect investment into America’s own military and defense industries. This cannot be compared with what is going on with Iran.
Thanks, Adam.
I tend to agree with most of what’s written but i think that the line between a terrorist and a freedom fighter is not as clear as you might see it – it really depends which side you are on, i guess and like pornography, it really depends on your values.
I believe that Hezbollah is definitely a terrorist group and worse, judging from its involvement in Syria, it is a mercenary terrorist group out to hire. The only things they are liberating are their bank-accounts and perhaps their dreams of becoming martyrs.
The nuclear accusations are being trumped up because Iran sells it’s oil in Euros-and is urging many nations to do the same. The U.S did sod all against North Korea when it acquired nukes. Money puts boots on ground, not human rights, and not freedom.
Thank you for your comment, Jake.
The nuclear accusations are based on the IAEA reports based on Tehran’s non-transparency and non-cooperation tactics vis-a-vis the NPT agreement that Iran signed. Please note that the IAEA represents the UN and not the US.
I fins your “Money puts boots on ground, not human rights, and not freedom” more apporpriate to th eIranian regime under Khamenei which is investing billions in Terrorism/Nuclear at the expense of th emoney, human rights and freedom of the Iranian people.
Reading the article I replaced the word “Iran” with “USA” It reads easier and more truthful.
Stop a moment, scratch your head, re-read the article replacing “Iran” with “USA” and see for yourself.
Thanks for the insight, Nick.
I did (switch Iran for USA) & it doesn’t (read easier and more truthful).
I guess, it depends who is doing the reading…
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