Between libertarianism, democracy, and religiousism, there is a strong interplay of politics. Religious and political laws fluctuate as treaties are made or broken, depending on the country’s level of energy and mineral wealth. Social order is badly maintained. What is happening in Iran is not a new rebellion, but a repetition of the old one.
The modernization of Iran carried out by Riza Shah Pahlavi and Mossadiq had moved the country forward democratically. Railroads, roads, and schools were built, religious clothing was banned in schools and workplaces, women’s suffrage was secured, workers had fixed wages, and land reform laws were introduced. But Britain, which had aided and abetted Iran’s oil investments for decades, feared Mossadiq’s aim to nationalize its vast oil holdings. Mossadegh’s regime was overthrown in just four days with the help of the United States and the intelligence agency. It was led by Kermit Roosevelt, the grandson of former American President Roosevelt and CIA spokesman. A large number of people protested against the blind pursuit of modernity, disregarding religious beliefs. Mossadegh became a political prisoner after the Shah’s regime took full control of the country. It is also a fact that the complete transfer of power of the country to the hands of the Shah was a strategy made jointly by Britain, the Soviet Union and the CIA because Germany’s influence over Iran was a danger to its oil reserves.
Although progressive, they secretly pursued the nationalization of oilfields and sought to nurture nuclear power through uranium reserves. Many countries including Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Israel were afraid of Iran becoming a nuclear power. The oil trade led to higher prices which led to the increase in prices. The avarice and modernization of the regime and the messages of Khomeini, who had been expelled from the country by the Shah regime, led the Iranian people to revolt. It is interesting to note that in the 1979 Iranian revolution that broke out, students and children largely mobilized against the same Shah regime that had declared women’s right to vote, education and freedom of dress. While resisting a ruler, one should also know the ulterior motives of the opposition. Khomeini returned to the country at the same time that the Shah fled Iran and soon seized power and declared Iran the Islamic Republic. Iran has moved backwards from the path of great progress by making religious studies compulsory in schools, strictly enforcing religious laws including women’s headscarves, and brutally punishing those who disobeyed. Disputes between conservatives and progressives remained a constant issue, with protests naturally erupting among Iran’s polarized population.
With the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015, Iran got back billions in frozen assets. The formal approval given to Iran for trade agreements and oil exports has helped smooth international trade and Iran’s economic sector has progressed. In 2018, the Trump administration unilaterally pulled out of the nuclear deal with Iran and cut diplomatic ties. At the same time, it slowed down the military withdrawal in Afghanistan. The Trump administration has warned that the Taliban and other groups will step into the gap created by a sudden US military withdrawal, and has postponed the withdrawal. But the later Biden administration completely withdrew the army from Afghanistan and the Afghan ruler left the country within days and the Afghan Taliban became a republic. For Iran, the Taliban regime was more useful in Afghanistan. Iran’s involvement in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and many other countries was also simplified. Suspicion that Iran’s weapons are going to Moscow has also scared Ukraine.
The political situations in Afghanistan and Iran are very similar. Even after the 9/11 mastermind was killed, US troops could not leave Afghanistan. The existence of the Afghan government was supported by the American army. The political and diplomatic vulnerability to rule alone has left Afghanistan in crisis. Regime coups in Iran and Afghanistan have led to the collapse of education and unemployment in both countries. Iran and Afghanistan witnessed the banning of women’s education and the imposition of religious laws on them.
It was not a natural protest for large sections of the country to rally against a government that had advanced women’s protection laws and far-reaching education policies. It was just a willful mistake of a people. Before starting protests against the democratically and politically advancing administration, it was necessary to understand who is waiting to get power on the other side. The Shah’s reign was Iran’s golden age, despite its flaws.
The current policy is to put extreme pressure on Iran. Youths, students and women have all come forward against the current administration which has not done much in the field of education and employment despite making huge profits from the oil trade. It can be said that it will be a second Iranian revolution when the masses take to the streets in support of those killed for disobeying religious laws and participating in protests against the country. In addition to the Biden administration announcing all kinds of assistance to those protesting for democracy and women’s freedom, Germany has largely withdrawn from business ventures with Iran.
Having nuclear power and weaponry in a country with no democratic political status, unstable and weak views is a threat to the world, and there will naturally be interventions by world nations to control them. There will be no stability in Iran without the core provisions of the nuclear deal and without withdrawal from weapons production. Otherwise, the possibility of another coup cannot be ruled out. One has to wonder why both the countries have not reached the heights of education, employment, renaissance and cultural level despite their rapid progress on the road to progress. The present shows that religious extremism has been eradicated as well as failure to inculcate cultural values. The renaissance is not a dilution of ultra-conservative religious beliefs, but a recognition that religion is not above human rights, freedom and education. Iran and Afghanistan are reruns of completely horrific yesterdays.
