Iran Not Worried Over Threat of Sanctions

abc News ^

[F14 Pilot]

TEHRAN, Iran Apr 26, 2005 — Day after day, Iranians shrug off the prospect of U.N. sanctions, Washington's key threat against Iran's unwillingness to abandon nuclear ambitions and for good reason: Tehran has powerful friends with keen financial interests in blocking such punishment.

But even if Iran cannot secure a Russian or Chinese veto of any attempt at imposing U.N. Security Council sanctions, it has weathered an American embargo for 25 years. Many Iranians, while acknowledging some pain, credit the U.S. embargo with making them more self-reliant.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman, exasperated by repeated warnings for Iran to end its nuclear ambitions or face U.N. sanctions, said recently that "we don't know with what language to tell the Europeans and Americans that Iran is not afraid of the U.N. Security Council."

"We have been subject to sanctions in the past," Hamid Reza Asefi added. "In the short term, it has put us under pressure. But in long term, it has helped our economy to flourish."

Before the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iran's greatest pride was assembling the Paykan automobile. Today, its products include passenger planes, missiles and cars. And while it has struggled with inflation unofficially estimated at 27 percent and an unemployment rate believed as high as 25 percent, huge oil and gas reserves have kept the economy afloat.

Business is brisk in Tehran's crowded bazaars, where shoppers pack stores and streets are jammed with bumper-to-bumper traffic.

[maestro]

Iran Not Worried Over Threat of U.N. Sanctions

.....Good for Iran and the 'Kings of the East'....!!!!!

(That says a lot!)

[Quix]

Sigh.

When in history has a culture and nation been so persistently suicidal.

Thx.

[kenavi]

When in history has a culture and nation been so persistently suicidal.

Heard a recent talk by Abbas Milani, an Iranian exile and political thinker:

The mullahs don't want to die for their beliefs, they want to stay in power.

There is a growing divergence between the Iranian people and the mullahs.

The Iranian people respect America for putting their interests above economic interests, as the only major economy to boycott mullah-land.

Next to Israel, Iran has the greatest number of blogs in the Middle East,

Unfortunately, the young population is turning to hard drugs as an escape from mullah-world; I believe he cited a U.S. gov't estimate of 7 million heroin addicts.

The Persian exile community is strong economically, controlling companies worth (I believe he said) $90 billion. (I personally know one they founded in so. California that today is worth over $50 billion on NASDAQ.)

[end of citation]

The ABC piece is typical mainstream news with no insight from people who live what is being described.

The truth is far more complex, and there are many opportunities for the U.S. to influence and support the Iranian people.

[F14 Pilot]

Well-Said!

[Quix]

Much agree with you.

Thanks.

[kenavi]

You are both most welcome.

Another thing he said is that Europe most definitely will never join in a boycott of Iran or take any steps whatsoever to discourage Iran from acquiring an atom bomb.

What was surprising is he said that the UK will take the lead in this appeasement, as they want to return to their traditional role (pre-1945)as Iran's premier Western trading partner.

Milani's group conducted a vast survey of Iranian students. They were universally pro-U.S. (as the country they admire most) but also universally in favor of Iran's right to acquire nuclear capability.

They and all Iranians remember well how Iraq attacked them and later used chemical weapons against them without suffering international censure.

So Milani says its a race between the Iranian nuclear clock and the Iranian democracy clock. Our best hope is to take actions to encourage the democratic revolution in Iran, which the mullahs high-jacked over 25 years ago.