De-Arabization of Iran: a Mission for all Iranians

Persian Journal ^ | 11/24/05 | Bahman Aghai Diba

[freedom44]

Iranians are not Arabs. The people of Iran do not care what is happening in Palestine. Even if they do, their feeling is in the same level as they care for the "Chechens in Russia". The feeling is mutual. Arabs look at Iran as another Israel. They do not see Iranians as Muslims. Iran is not admitted to any gathering of the Arabs.

These things are shocking for almost all of the people in the Western countries.

This means that the Iranians have not done their share of struggle to demonstrate to the people of the world that Iran has a civilization and culture different from Arabs and although Iranians are mostly Muslim, they do not have much respect for the mediums of the Islam, i.e. the nomadic Arabs who invaded Iran. It is an important mission for the Iranians to make this distinction known.

The treacherous Islamic regime of the Islamic Republic Iran, which does not represent the people of Iran and at the same time, it is ideologically hostage to Arab line of thinking, has been trying for the last quarter of century to spread Arabization in Iran. This is a mission and a duty for all Iranians, especially those who live in the other countries and enjoy the fruits of the freedom of expression, to show that Iran is a country different from Arabs from all points of view.

This is not a mission aimed against the Arab people or countries. It is defense of the separate identity of Iranians. The Arabs have been doing the same thing since the advent of Islam among the nomadic Arabs in the present day Saudi Arabia. They have been praised for conquering the Great Empire of Iran and trying to impose their culture over the people of Iran. The identity of Iranians was so important that unlike all other countries conquered and culturally devastated by Arabs (like Egypt, which received the recycled religion of the ancient Egyptians through Islam), Iran never given up its cultural identity and even Iranians have invented the Shiite sect of Islam as a defense against the main stream Sunni Islam. The Arabs have been criticizing Iranians since then for the invention of Shiitism.

The modern day Arabs do not trust Iran too. Even when the regime of Iran speaks against Israel or in defense of the Palestinians, the Arabs feel that an outsider is interfering in the affairs of their "Arab bothers". Among the Arab countries, Syria has made itself closer to the regime of Iran due to:

1- Getting cheap oil from the Islamic Republic of Iran. 2- Thousands of Iranians go to Syria each year to spend money. 3- Syria gets all kinds of weapons from Iran (or Iran pays the cost) and they give them to the Palestinians groups that follow the Syrian line. The Syrian line is aimed at getting advantages form Israel for Syria. This system was established by the Hafez Assad, the Bismarck of Arab world.

However, even the Bismarck of the Arab world and his son has never supported the rights of Iran in any occasion. The Syrians along with all other Arab countries, especially the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council [the Iranian regime always puts a "Persian" before the name of the "GCC" to give the impression that Arabs have acknowledged the historical name of the Persian Gulf, while in fact the name of "GCC" is another example of the violation of the Iranian rights by the Arabs] have been condemning Iran for occupying the three islands claimed by the United Arab Emirate (UAE). However, they have intentionally forgotten that Iran played the most important role in creation of the UAE. There was no UAE at the time that Iran took back some of its islands and failed to get others (especially Bahrain) in order to pave way for independence of the UAE.

Almost in every occasion, including the GCC's meetings at all levels and the sessions of the Arab League, at least once and sometimes repeatedly, the Arab countries support the baseless claims of the UAE against Iran.

It is the duty of every Iranian to reciprocate this heart felt feeling. The people of Iran, unlike the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, do not feel any obligation to support the nationalistic and Arab oriented policies of any Arab group (including and especially the Palestinians), and any Arab country (especially Syria).

Here are some of the practical ways for defending the cultural identity of Iran, as a separate culture from the Arabs:

1- Take out Arabic words from your language as much as possible. 2- Do not listen to any speaker who uses too many Arabic words, especially the Mullahs. 3- Try to explain for as many as possible people around you, starting from the family members, and extending to the people you meet at work place, neighborhood and so on and take any occasion to explain that Iranians are not Arabs. 4- Explain your Iranian sentiments about the nomadic Arabs who invaded Iran in every occasion. 5- Do not let the issues about Islam, as a religion, which is like any other, block your view about the barbaric Arabs who plundered Iran and changed the fate of a civilized nation to the course of nomadic Arabs. 6- Find new ways to do this task and let others know them.

[freedom44]

[freedom44]

ping

[john drake]

I understand the majority of Iranians (really Persians, not related to the Arab Tribes at all) have been on the verge of a revolution for some time...however, they overthrew the Shah because he was too Western (or at least in the pocket of the West) and got stuck with the worst of the other extreme. I suppose if they are ever successful in tossing out these clerical dictators, I'm not sure what they'd replace it with? Another despot, regardless of stripe? The hardest part to digest is the soon to be establlished fact that they have nuclear capabilities. One things for sure, if something pops, and we're right next door sitting in military bases, it could be to our advantage to "help" the situation, if asked?

[freedom44]

The only democratically elected leader of Iran was in 1953 that was Dr. Mossadeqh who was a secular nationalist.

[hosepipe]

Iran is drugged by Islam.. Denial of the drug problem is Irans problem..

Actually its any muslims problem..
Sequestering the drugged to "dry out" is the only way..
Islam is NOT a religion it is a GANG.. a gang of drug dealers..

[fanfan]

Ping!

[F14 Pilot]

it is a cult!

[Reily]

If Iran went secular and its ancient faith, Zoroastrianism was allowed to compete with Islam for believers. I think Iran would return to its roots.
Nestorian Christianity also once flourished in Iran and could again. Without the threat of force Islam would not be able to compete.

[sheik yerbouty]

An excellent idea!

[truth_seeker]

"Iranians are not Arabs."

So what. Since 1979 Iran has been in conflict with my USA.

Iran is muslim, just like the Arabs. And has caused just as much trouble.

And despite all the talk, little evidence exists these Iranians are willing to shed ENOUGH blood, to get freedom.

I'm so sorry if this offends anybody. If it does, rise up with rage, and prove me wrong!!

[quadrant]

Its hard for me to believe that people do not understand that Iranians are not Arabs. Iranians/Persians are heirs to a great civilization that dates back to antiquity. To ignore that is as foolish as it is for Egyptians to ignore the history of their country before the Islamic conquest,

[Clintonfatigued]

The Shah wasn't overthrown because he was too Western, not really. The problem was that he was cruel and corrupt.

[Clintonfatigued]

I've never heard of that. Did you once live in Iran?

[F14 Pilot]

Islam was forced upon Iranians 1400 years ago!

Arabs burnt their cities and libraries, raped their women and killed those who resisted the cult of death but they retook their country back again until 1979 when an Indian-Iranian ayatollah came and did the same things to them again

[Reily]

Unfortunately Islam enforces a notion that there is no history before Islam !
If we can stay focused long enough (Meaning no... again no democrat administrations seceding Busk II!) starting a propaganda campaign to re-instill a sense of national identity for Persia & Egypt. Persians can look at Cyrus the Great. Persia was a great enduring classical civilization, competing with the Greek city-states, then the Sassnids Persians were in competition with Rome. Then came the Islamic conquest it flickered again brightly for awhile, then the long decline to irrelevancy ! Egypt well what can one say...it almost is the beginning civilization ! Its influence on the west is almost incalculable ! Both the Greeks & Romans were influenced by Egypt. (Not in the sense the Afro-Centrists think !) Try to convince these nations that Islam stole their ancient heritage ! (Egyptian Christianity was a foundational influence for the early church.) The Islamofascists in Egypt have said they will destroy Egypt's ancient monuments (Look what the Taliban did to the ancient Buddhas !)

[Clintonfatigued]

Where did you get all this historical knowlege?

[Jason_b]

very interesting ping

[Reily]

Actually the Shah's problem was not that he was cruel. (All the other Middle Eastern despots were far more CRUEL!) he maybe wasn't tough enough. He never could completely pull the trigger to really crack down. So he ended up being held in contempt by his enemies. Also the Shah and his family were to European ! He was educated in Switzerland, some of his family spoke better French then Farsi ! Yes his family was corrupt by our standards by not particularly corrupt by Middle Eastern standards. Interestingly enough Khomeini didn't turn on him until he confiscated religiously owned/controlled land. Also the Shah was emphasizing Iran's past glories. He paid to have Persopolis restored. He was emphasizing Iran's pre-Islamic past at the expense of its Islamic present. This was deeply resented by the clerics.

[Reily]

I read constantly ! I watch almost no TV. (The odd football game or so ....providing its WVU!....or the Packers)

I despise most forms of 'popular' entertainment !

[freedom44]

Alot of people dont understand that Iran is a separate country in the mid-east and that they're not Arabs and are ethnic Persians. Thanks for the post!