The following comment was sent to the site web www.pedziran.com :
“Referring to the broadcast interviews of Mr Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian President, during his visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, (WEF-Davos), 22-23 January 2014, I would like to highlight some points. I work in the energy sector.
During the interviews previously made with the former Iranian President, M. Ahmadinejad, between 2009 and 2013, the reporters had skilfully challenged him with their questions. He was pushed to the limit and opened up his heartfelt thoughts.
To the contrary, I found the recent interviews with Mr H. Rouhani void of substance, and prepared in advance, as if the questions were selected by the Iranian president himself. Furthermore, it seemed as if particular room was given to let him speak on his chosen issues, thus avoiding addressing sensitive subjects.
WEF-Davos and Rouhani in Harmony
Since his election in June 2013, most Western media portray Mr H. Rouhani as a reformer, open to dialogue; someone to whom it is easy to talk, and especially do business with. He is even compared to Mikhail Sergeivich Gorbachev.
During my recent business trips to Iran, the last one a few weeks ago, I found that in many respects the situation in the country has worsened; particularly in areas such as the Internet’s censorship, the abuse of human rights, corruption, prostitution, illegal drug use and the pollution in Tehran and other major cities. The current deterioration compared with the presidency of Mr Ahmadinejad is unimaginable.
Now, the Pasdaran (the Revolutionary Guards) are expecting the first instalment of US$500 million, which should be released by the US and Europe on the 1 February 2014, in order to distribute the amount among themselves, as the bankers that award themselves with bonuses at the beginning of the year.
Mr H. Rouhani came to Davos with Mr Bijan Namdar Zangeneh and J. Zarif, to attract the attention of businessmen and investors in Iran. The goal is to boost the Iranian economy and to regain financial power, which will enable them to serve the military and ideological purposes of the Islamic Republic and the Supreme Leader, Ali Khameinei.
One wonders why, during his interviews, Mr H. Rouhani did not meet the hard questioning on issues like: the increases in the number of death sentences (see Human Rights Watch, report 2014), his double language so as not to concede anything on the nuclear programme (see Iranian media), and whether or not he recognises the right of Israel to exist.
It is time to get Mr H. Rouhani out from his cunning lambskin and to show his true wolfish face; he is a natural product of the Velayat-e faqih regime. Posing as a defender of democracy and free elections, he has quickly forgotten the undemocratic process that led to his appointment.
My professional experiences have proven to me that the problems of Iran have little correlation with the embargoes and the sanctions. Often, these problems stem from mismanagement, corruption, embezzlement and fraud, which are blessed by the successive governments and the apparatchiks in power. Sanctions have simply shown the flaws, since easy money is no longer available to hide the problems.
I speak Persian, and I find it shameful to compare Mr H. Rouhani with Mikhail Gorbachev. The latter was able to make a transition without bloodshed, while Mr H. Rouhani seeks only to buy time to strengthen the Islamic Republic by nuclear, financial and military means.
Signed: B.N. 24 January 2014
[irp posts=”2382″ name=”Iran Rouhani Glasgow”]
