THE
CARICATURE CRISIS IS A RESULT OF THE “WAR OF THE
AYATOLLAHS’”
The statements
recently made by Jalal Mohammadi, who is an Iranian
journalist-writer and a member of the International
Federation of Journalists, gave rise to new arguments.
In his
statements, Jalal Mohammadi mentioned issues such as the
protest demonstrations held following the caricature crisis,
the viewpoint of the USA about Iran, the Iranian policies of
Azerbaijan and Turkey, and the activities of the Jewish
lobby. While some of the identifications made by Jalal
Mohammadi reflect the truth, it is impossible to accept
certain statements he made about S. Azerbaijan. Jalal
Mohammadi, who commented that the US and the Jewish lobbies
were involved in a conspiracy against Iran, emphasized that
the incidents that took place following the caricature
crisis were a result of the activities that had been
sustained for 15 years by the USA and some other countries
willing to create ethnic problems in the country. In this
way, Mohammadi introduces us, i.e. the S. Azerbaijanis, as
“a weak tool”. Actually this is something we can never
accept. Yes! The protest demonstrations started exactly 10
days after the publication of the caricature, and it is not
possible to explain this situation by saying “S.
Azerbaijanis are like a stone. They get hot late and they
get cool late”. The fact that the incidents began after such
a long time naturally brings to mind some provocations.
However, wouldn’t it be an unfair act against us to accept
completely the statement “the only one responsible for these
is the external forces” made by the Mollah regime when
explaining the incidents? As a matter of fact, supporting
such a statement would mean to accept that “S. Azerbaijanis,
incapable of making judgments, have been a tool in this game
and have taken place as the leading player in this
initiative to topple the regime”, and it would be a new
insult against us. We reject such an insult and take it as
our duty to remove the curtain over the caricature crisis.
Everything
started with the “operation to form cadres” initiated by
Mahmud Ahmedinejad exactly a year ago following his coming
to power. Everyone living in the country knows how the new
President replaced those who, in the former rule, were
senior bureaucrats. – Meanwhile it is considered
beneficial to call attention especially to the rumors that
arose recently, suggesting that approximately 100,000
individuals who are branch officers will be replaced by
those deemed appropriate by the leadership – this
practice involved the replacement of the leadership cadres
of even the newspapers published in this country. In early
May, the leading cadres of the Iranian Newspaper were
rendered passive and it was stated that new appointments
would be made. Right at that stage the situation escalated.
Some of the
writers of the Iranian Newspaper opposing the leadership
published these caricatures, which are recorded in history
as a black mark, in order to get the Mollahs into trouble.
However, unfortunately (!) the caricatures were not seen by
sufficient number of readers and thus did not arise the
expected impact, and the people could not be made revolt.
This time certain individuals supporting Rafsanjani
intervened in the situation. Supporters of Rafsanjani who
sent the caricatures, which were published in the
supplementary of the newspaper, especially to a number of
people “known to be ultranationalists” through the Internet,
consequently abused the sensitivity of people and managed to
orient the incidents as they wanted. As a matter of fact,
the S. Azerbaijanis whose nationalist feelings were hurt
came together in a very short period of time and showed
their just reactions.
Additionally,
the complete failure of the meeting organized on the grave
of Hz. Masume in Qom which is a “Factory of Mollahs” on the
occasion of “Khordat 15”, which was attended by the former
President on June 5, 2006, may be considered as a warning of
the Ahmedinejad Leadership to Rafsanjani. Some of the
individuals – following the line of Ayatollah Mesbah Yezdi –
who broke into the speech of Rafsanjani protested him by
throwing eggs and chanted slogans that humiliated him
personally. Meanwhile, the situation suddenly became intense
when certain mollahs walked to the rostrum and the quarrel
between the supporters of Rafsanjani and those of Yazdi
turned into a fight. The incidents ended only with the
intervention of the police and a number of individuals were
taken under custody. Everyone with common sense in the
country could understand that this incident was a “planned
intimidation” by Ahmedinejad against Rafsanjani. Thus,
everything that occurred in the country is a result of this
“War of the Mollahs” that took place on the agenda prior to
the Khobregan Council of Experts elections scheduled for
next September. It is impossible to consider it meaningful
for an individual, who is the Head of the Expediency
Council, to have provided the ground for such disagreements,
though he has declared to have withdrawn his candidacy.
All of our
people are aware of the fact that the efforts paid with a
view to find “the traitors directed by external foci” have
no meaning. People call on those in power to avoid dangerous
games in this critical situation which the country is going
through. People are warning Ahmedinejad to give an end to
the “War of the Ayatollahs”.
Alireza J
