Posted on 06/30/2008 6:09:20 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
/begin my translation
[Teheran Report] 'Turbaned Dictatorship' Ignores Economic Hardship
Despite high oil price and galloping inflation, power struggles are the order of the day
"The government will be toppled in a month or two..." ominous rumors swirling
Teheran/Qom(Iran) = Lee Tae-hoon
About two hours of drive to the south west of Teheran is Qom, the cradle of 1979 Islamic Revolution, and the religious city of supreme authority.
A woman with thick eye makeup, wearing Armani sunglasses, and her hairs colored in yellow and silver, passes by 'Khojeye Elmieh(sp?)' Islamic seminary building, where Khomeini, the father of Iranian Revolution(1902~1989) once studied. Giant mosques covered with blue tiles are beautiful, and people are friendly. However, the looks could be deceiving. Early this year, Iranian government hanged three drug dealers on a crane in the city's square. The execution video was spread via cellphone among Iranians. The number of executions jumped from 177 in 2006 to 307 in 2007. Almost one a day. Mitra(female:29,) an office worker, said, "It is a coercion tactic to make people shut up and follow the government."
On June 13, at 'Mellat Park' on Balias(sp?) St. in Teheran's downtown, 1,000 people demonstrated and their rally was broken up by force. Its size was unusually large in Iranian standard. The protest, which was never reported by local media, was said to be a protest against Arab states calling 'Persian Gulf' 'Arabian Gulf.' However, among Iranian Internet users, the rumor spread that it was an "anti-government demonstration protesting depressing living condition and economic hardships." The rumors such as "In a month or two, the government could be toppled," and "The wealthy had already got out," are rampant.
Due to reckless low interest lending for housing, the real estate price has skyrocketed. Hamid(age:50,) an executive at a corporation said, "I am scraping every penny possible to have 'investment immigration' to Canada." Ali(age:36) working at a company is upset, saying, "We have oil and natural gas, furthermore copper, iron, and uranium, too. We have everything. Why can't we be like Dubai?" Mitra said, "After the current regime took power, Iran became a laughing stock of the entire world. Iran today is 'Animal Farm(George Orwell's novel)' where religion control even what goes inside people's mind."
However, Islamic clerics have different opinion. Ahmad Baezl(sp?), the president of 'Berger Al Ulm,' the best religious seminary in Qom, said, "As victories in major elections indicate, Iran has solid support base for Islamic rule."
People's life is depressing, but Iran's rulers are busy with power struggle in the name of religion. Eyeing for re-election, President Ahmadinejad are recently giving religious significance to his rule, by saying, "The duty of government is preparing for the day when Mahdi returns. Mahdi is protecting me." An American magazine referred to such practice as 'turbaned dictatorship.'
/end my translation
Due to reckless low interest lending for housing, the real estate price has skyrocketed.
They are aping U.S. housing policy, because I suspect it is targetted for low income folks, Ahmadinejad's support base. As a result, Iran will also see housing bubble popping. That will be politically destabilizing.
Ping!
Thanks
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