Semira N. Nikou
Iranian leaders, from both the regime and the opposition, are increasingly speaking out about the turmoil in Egypt, Tunisia, and elsewhere. The two sides view the protests from starkly different perspectives, however. The theocracy likes to take credit for inspiring the uprisings and compare them to the 1979 Iranian Revolution. But the Green Movement opposition claims that the demonstrations mirror its own 2009 protests demanding democracy after the disputed presidential elections. Here are translations of recent remarks:
Regime
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
“The Egyptian nation has an Islamic background. The Egyptian nation has achieved great honors on the path of Islamic struggle and promoting innovative Islamic thoughts. The Egyptian nation is a valorous nation. There is no doubt that this nation will not tolerate the treachery of its leaders and will confront them.”
“What does the conflict in Egypt have to do with us? We are happy wherever Muslim people are wakened. We are happy wherever Muslim people clench their fists against the enemies of their religion. We are unhappy and feel responsible wherever Muslim people are beaten. But we are not there to get engaged and wake up a nation such as the Egyptian nation to its duties.”
"Muslim groups which rise up to defend Islam are easily pressured, tortured and imprisoned by the leaders of those countries, and global powers support these governments. This is true of Egypt today. This is also true of many other countries in the world." Jan. 31, 2011. Ayatollah Khamenei’s official homepage
Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani
"Today the bullies of the world want to throw dust in the eyes of the people of the Middle East so that they can't see the truth. But [the bullies] are mistaken; the people of the Middle East have awakened."Feb. 3, 2011. Radio Zamaneh
"The US officials have taken different stances on Egypt and they have changed their views several times."
"You should stop interference in Egypt. Egyptians will say what kind of democracy they are looking for." Feb. 3, 2011. Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA)
Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi
"With the knowledge that I have of the great revolutionary and history-making people of Egypt, I am sure they will play their role in creating an Islamic Middle East for all freedom, justice and independence seekers," Feb. 1, 2011. AhlulBayat News Agency
Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, conservative cleric and key figure in writing the Iranian Constitution
“Your brave and ardent movement against a pro-western dictatorial rule which supports Israel is another sign of your social, political and religious maturity.”
"We hope clerics of al Azhar Islamic University, which is a great center of Islamic science and knowledge, will more support revolutionary people of Egypt. Since the Egyptian nation is now demanding Islamic principles including justice, logical freedom, eradication of poverty and non-interference of foreigners in Muslims' fate." Feb. 3, 2011. Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi’s official homepage
Opposition
Mir Hossein Mousavi, Green Movement opposition leader and former prime minister
“The Middle East is on the brink of great events that could affect the future of the nations of this region and the rest of the world. Certainly the ultimate aim of what is happening is the disruption of the unjust order that has captured the fate of many nations of this region in its talons. There is no doubt that the starting point of the events we are witnessing in the streets of Tunis, Sana'a, Cairo, Alexandria, and Suez must be sought in the massive demonstrations of June 14, 17, and 19 [2009] of Tehran. On those days, people took to the streets with the slogan of "Where is my vote?" to peacefully demand their trampled rights.
Today the slogan of ‘Where is my vote?’ of the Iranian people is echoed in the slogan of "The people demand the overthrow of the regime" in Cairo, Suez, and Alexandria. To find the roots of these connections and similarities we need not go too far afield. It suffices to compare the manner of the recent elections in Egypt with that of our own, where the head of the ‘Guardian Council’ blithely states that there is no need for the votes of millions of "Green" citizens. If we monitor the collapsing regimes of the Arab world and the Middle East, we will see that in all these regimes social networks, the press, and the virtual space have been assaulted and that the Internet, the messaging, and mobile systems are shut down. Everywhere pens are broken and dissidents are imprisoned.” Jan. 28, 2011. PBS Frontline: Tehran Bureau
Joint remarks by opposition leaders Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein Mousavi
“Today in Egypt – despite the tension and violence – protesters have been given permission to demonstrate to show which side has greater support. Therefore, we believe that if in Iran the opposition were given permission to demonstrate, it would become clear which side has a popular base and support.”Jan. 31, 2011. Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe
Zahra Rahnavard (wife of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi) to Egyptian and Tunisian women
“We all are in the same front in the battle against dictatorship.”
“You, the oppressed women of Egypt, Tunisia and other oppressed countries, by standing side by side your nations and by making sacrifices and resisting against tyranny and repression, have opened new chapters in the history of the people’s struggles.”
“The Green Movement of Iran also started with a key slogan of “Where Is My Vote?” against a coup election and because of the use of violence and repression [by the totalitarian government], rapidly turned into the calls for freedom, democracy and free election as the core the diverse demands of the people.”Feb 2, 2011.Mir Hossein Mousavi’s Facebook page
Read Semira Nikou's chapter on Iran's subsidies conundrum in “The Iran Primer”
Semira N. Nikou works for the Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention at the U.S. Institute of Peace
Semira N. Nikou works for the Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention at the U.S. Institute of Peace