Are Iran’s Diaspora Doing More Harm Than Good?

Iran is once more on the cusp of radical change,
politically, socially and most hopefully clerically.

A note at the outset. I have not posted on this blog for a very long time indeed, but I felt that this issue was one that really needed pointing out. I have met a few, hell I am related to some, of the California Iranians, so I know how a good number of them think, and more importantly how desperately rosy their view of Iran under the monarchy is.

As an Iranian who left the country a few years before the revolution I am shocked to see more and more diaspora Iranians turning to the former crown prince and the extreme right in the west for support. Much to my dismay I see them proudly posting images and reports about how Ted Cruz or worse still Donald Trump have given the movement their support. All this while I’ve also seen some Iranians posting outright lies about the Biden administration and attacking the Democrats with false accusations of all kinds.

I see the Iranians abroad forgetting our national history, our relationship with the right wing in the US and UK and other western nations, how they never did anything but harm the interests of the average citizens of Iran in their hunger for the country’s resources and it’s strategic importance for the control of the Middle East.

They have forgotten that every Western politician and leader in the past nearly hundred or so years who ever paid attention to Iran was there simply to exploit and manipulate the country for their own profit and gain. And always at the dire cost of Iranian independence and freedom.

In thousands of years of history only once and for a comically short period the country managed to have a democracy. The Premiership of Mohammad Mosaddegh between the yeas 1951 to 1953 were the first and only time the nation actually took control of its own government. It was a true first, though not perfect, nevertheless it was a good start.

But in less than three years the US and UK governments and their agents brought back the Shah from exile on their tanks, enforcing the democratically elected government to capitulate. The Anglo Iranian Oil Company (now BP) and other oil conglomerates from the West sponsored this tragic destruction of the first glimpse of democracy in Iran.

Now some seventy odd years later the diaspora, especially the rich and privileged Iranians in the US are drumming up support for the return of the Monarchy and trying to promote the idea that the former crown prince Pahlavi only wants freedom and democratic rule for Iran. How naive or perhaps deliberately callous are these people?

The Iranian struggle now is a grass roots struggle as far as we on the outside can see. Its champions are the women of Iran and their supporters, the youth, musicians and other artists, academics and intellectuals as well as most importantly the “common” folk. These people are out on the streets risking everything to overthrow the Islamic dictatorship. From what I read they have already gained the support and sympathy of a good proportion of the top clergy in the country. All they need is the support and understanding of the rest of the world to continue. It is patently obvious that a democratic and free Iran would be much more likely to sit around the table with the rest of the world and take once more its place amongst the nations of the world. This could only be beneficial for the whole world. Iran has historically been one of the most influential cultures on the planet. The country’s contribution to world culture is immeasurable and historically massive. It deserves to be once again the vital and energetic civilisation that it has always been.

The diaspora; if their intentions are true and they have not sold out to Western interests; is at the very least tragically delusional, misguided and naive.

Iran’s activists and citizens need to be supported and to be given the lion’s share of control over the destiny of the country.

Democracy and freedom, not monarchy and more foreign exploitation are the only way forward.

In answer to the title here I have to say “YES” they are definitely doing a great deal more harm than good, and they should stop and read some Iranian history before setting in motions another long phase of exploitation and tragedy in Iran.

Long live the Iranian uprising and all my best wishes go to them.