In a world where humanity in general is in full confusion, we Iranians appear to be even ‎more perplexed when compared to other nations. It looks like we want everything, while ‎at the same time not wanting anything.‎

We behave as if all the virtues and good things in life are bundled in a single package and ‎our duty is to simply open the wrapping and witness the heavens. Which is why instead ‎of accepting the real world, we live in an illusionary one where to attain a good, one has ‎to work for it and thus accept its negative consequences as well. ‎

Contrary to our beliefs, freedom, democracy, equality are not absolute. Each is bundled ‎with some negative issues which too must be recognized and tolerated. But looks like this ‎is not something we are capable of doing. This explains that when we come to realize the ‎negative aspects of any one of these concepts, we simply revolt against the whole issue.‎

So we are destined to either sail the rough seas of the age until we find a solution, or ‎anchor in some calm waters. I think the waters where we can anchor in is a kind of ‎nationalism on which we can build a representative, active and progressive regime.‎

In other words, we need to rebuild our nationalism. And like other positive concepts, ‎nationalism too has its negative side which we have experienced in Iran. In this country it ‎appears as if there is an unwritten law that nationalism must have the anti-foreign ‎sentiment and resentment in it. ‎

For example, the type of nationalism that is currently advanced by the state and its ‎opponents, centers on this anti-foreignism. A newspaper in Iran interprets nationalism to ‎stand for anti-Americanism, while the opponents of the regime root theirs in anti-‎Arabism of the southern sheikhs or Russian to the north. ‎

In think just as nationalism should not be translated to anti-Westernism, it should also not ‎be used to insult or threaten other nations. Unfortunately, during President ‎Ahmadinejad’s trip to Doha last month to attend a meeting of the Persian Gulf ‎Cooperation Council, some Iranian webblogers who wrote against this trip, presented ‎negative views about our southern neighboring states. ‎

I think any reevaluation of our definition of nationalism must include any anti-foreign ‎sentiments and elements in it. A humane interpretation of nationalism has another ‎component as well: recognizing the equality of all the citizens of Iran, regardless of their ‎ethnic background, color, language, religion, etc.‎

Unfortunately some Iranian sub-national groups have become sensitive to the idea of ‎nationalism because of certain ulta-nationalistic interpretations and thus view nationalism ‎to actually mean the supremacy of an ethnic group, a language, a religion etc of one ‎national group over the others.‎

The whole concept of nation-state means equality of all its members, groups, etc.‎

So I think we Iranians need to come down to earth from those heavenly skies we live in, ‎and stick with the real world and issues.‎

And there is nothing more real than the country in and land on which we live, and from ‎which we get our identity. So let’s accept the interests of this country to be the standard ‎and pursue it with the cooperation of other nations based on equality for all citizens. ‎These are the waters that will bring us peace and tranquility.‎