‎Mehrzad Farhoudi

Senior ayatollah Montazeri’s eldest son, Ahmad Montazeri, talked with Rooz in an ‎exclusive interview with the online newssite about his views on the growing international ‎pressure on Iran. On the administration’s treatment of dissidents, he said, “If Islam is the ‎criteria in Iran, it does not allow a government to deny a person’s freedom even for an ‎hour, let alone the long detentions and the pressures to which detainees are subjected to. ‎If this is a republic, then things are clear and such authority is not given to the rulers as ‎well. Unless of course one wishes to say that this country is not led by either Islam or ‎republican principles and is in fact a special country.”‎

Here are the excerpts of the interview.‎

Rooz (R): As you are aware international pressure is on the rise over Iran and the nuclear ‎dossier is reaching its critical stage. What is your reading of this?‎
Ahmad Montazeri (AM): We have to look and conclude what is the value of what we are ‎trying to accomplish and acquire. What must we sacrifice and pay for it. And then ‎compare and conclude whether what we want to get is worth the cost. It appears that at ‎the moment, the territorial integrity of the country is under threat. If God forbidding, a ‎military attack occurs on Iran, the Iranian nation will be subjected to the same suffering ‎that the people of Afghanistan and Iraq have been experiencing. It is under these ‎circumstances that confidence building acquires special importance. In any case, for ‎whatever reason other countries of the world are suspicious of what we call peaceful ‎nuclear development. This could be because of the activities of the officials of the Islamic ‎republic or they actually posses some information .. . I do not know have exact ‎information on this. But its cost of getting it, which can by itself be useful, is not ‎proportionate to the value of the goal. We must acquire international confidence through ‎and dialogue. There is no problem if this issue requires a suspension. We must not pay a ‎price to get something that like this. Acquiring this technology through international ‎standards takes a long time, therefore subjecting the country and the nation to possible ‎break-up is not logical or wise.‎

R: Some analysts believe that what is causing this pressure on Iran is the country’s ‎interference in the affairs of others, such as Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Palestine. ‎Do you think foreign pressure on Iran is related to Iran’s policies towards the Middle ‎East?‎
AM: There is no doubt that the Iranian nation is not happy with the government’s ‎interference in the affairs of others. If such interference exists, it is condemned because it ‎lacks the nation’s consent and is against international norms. It appears that this issue is ‎directed more towards the issue of Palestine and Israel. I do not believe that now is the ‎appropriate time to follow the goal of “destroying Israel.” Ayatollah Khomeini mentioned ‎this phrase at a time, and perhaps it was appropriate at the time. But this is not the time to ‎raise this issue now because it has no supporters and is not practical. Even Palestinians do ‎not make such a call. So why must we be more Catholic than the Pope? Why must be ‎shout slogans that have no support and pay a price for something that is not possible? ‎Certainly these harsh speeches on the subject have had their impact and created ill will ‎against us. Public opinion has built up against Iran. This kind of rhetoric is not to the ‎liking of international public opinion. What is the point in pursuing the rhetoric of ‎‎“denying the Holocaust” and the benefit for the Iranian nation? In any case there is a ‎world consensus on this issue. So why must it be denied and why must the cost of this ‎rhetoric be paid by the Iranian nation?‎

R: How useful is the government’s policy of winning supporters through financial and ‎economic assistance to other countries?‎
AM: It would be good if a public poll could be taken on this and independent opinions ‎would be gathered to clarify the position of the Iranian nation. The people that we talk to ‎are strongly against such assistance. The recent announcement of a billion Dollar ‎assistance to Bolivia brought a negative reaction from the public. Why must such ‎assistance be provided when the Iranian people have plenty of needs of their own and live ‎in poverty and with serious problems. Such assistance is problematic even inside the ‎country and has no utility. If help was going to be provided to a nation that had ‎experienced a war, floods, tornado, etc, then it would be understandable on humanitarian ‎grounds. But the provision of this aid by a country that is experiencing a 7.5 percent ‎growth in its poverty levels does not make sense. No reasonable person accepts the ‎argument that we should be taking away from our people and giving to others.‎

R: Do you think the elections for the eight Majlis will lead to a reduction in international ‎pressure on Iran?‎
AM: It depends on how the elections are held. If the controls continue to be exercised, ‎and the reformers are not allowed to even introduce their candidates, there is no sense in ‎participating in the elections as this will not have any good for the country. But if these ‎gentlemen undertake to stop these disqualifications and allow others to engage in ‎campaigning, then the public will participate in the elections and the exercise will help ‎thwart the threats against the country. But the statements of these gentlemen, ‘rights have ‎always belonged to the minority’, are no encouraging, because they are against Islam, ‎reason and democracy. And in any case, democracy is acceptable today as a logical and ‎historic achievement, and so it must be accepted. We hope that by raising these slogans, ‎these gentlemen do not negate the millennium long accomplishments of mankind in the ‎sphere of social sciences.‎

R: How do you view the recent rise in pressure on dissidents and recent arrests?‎
AM: The rulers wish to demonstrate their power through these pressure tactics and say ‎that they do not care about international pressure. But they are wrong. Why is it that in a ‎year that has been designated as the year of national unity, dissidents such as Emad Baghi ‎and Hadi Ghabel be sent to prison? Other countries watch these events and reach their ‎conclusions. They notice that dissidents, critics and reformers are under pressure and ‎conclude that the regime is not enjoying strong public support. Such a conclusion can ‎increase the possibility of a foreign military strike against the country. So it would be ‎better if the regime stop this behavior. If Islam is the criteria in Iran, it does not allow a ‎government to deny a person’s freedom even for an hour, let alone the long detentions ‎and the pressures to which detainees are subjected to. If this is a republic, then things are ‎clear and such authority is not given to the rulers as well. Unless of course one wishes to ‎say that this country is not led by either Islam or republican principles and is in fact a ‎special country.‎