Why is the UK appeasing Iran?

Hamid Irani

What a fantastic article by Ms. Phillips. She brilliantly points out the injustice against the Iranian opposition. The West, especially Britian, needs to get its act together and and its appeasement of the regime.
Kudos.

Harry

There was a fantastic piece on Iran by Ann Leslie a while back in the Mail. She came up with the perfect description of Britain’s spineless appeasers: “scallop salad nibblers with their scallop salad delusions”.

It was the only thing to laugh at in a piece that illustrated just how many lame brains we have in government.

I’ve looked for the piece on the Mail’s website but it’s not on there.

jalal4liberty@gmail.com

Melanie,
it is wonderful to hear you speaking of one of the most contradictory issues in British politics regarding her international relations today.

The people who are fighting the most brutal regime sponsoring terrorism, the people who enjoying the support of the majority of the members of the parliament are considered a terrorist organisation by the foreign office to appease the mullahs!
I hope you keep on reflecting the facts on this very important issue which I believe could contributes to the world peace or a devastating war in the middle-east.

Mohammad R.

As an Iranian who is not old enough to have lived through the 1979 revolution, I must say that the PMOI are the true voice of our generation. They have stood up to the mullahs from day one. I know people whose relatives have been executed by the regime simply because they supported the PMOI. Gordon Brown must end the ban on the PMOI.

Raymond

This is another very good article by Mellanie. I think she is absolutely right and our government must put an end to this destructive policy of appeasement and start supporting these brave men and women of Iranian resistance

Raymond

I just wanted to add that this is really very encouraging to see journalists as well as some of our brave MPs and Peers who are supporting the millions rather than the mullahs in Iran. It is time for our government to also take side with millions of brave democratic Iranians who are crying freedom in Iran.

M.N.R

You have tackled this important issue from a right angle
Too many people talk about the threat caused by the Iranian Regime but give no solution.
Talking about terrorism and fundamentalism will not solve the problem; it is about time for our government to realize this and to stop appeasing the godfathers of international terrorism

D Gray

You need to get out from behind the computer Melanie and stand for parliment...simple as.

Mars Haddington

Very good article, I am fully agreed Mrs. Philips that "It is not yet too late; but there is precious little time left", this is the time to remove this shameful label. I hope we do not losing these little time.
Before crocodile eaten the final feeds!
There is more than 130 UK Parliamentarian who are supporting this case; I hope next coming year Iranian can celebrate their new year inside Iran.
Homburg –Deutschland

mars haddington

Very good article, I am fully agreed Mrs. Philips that "It is not yet too late; but there is precious little time left", this is the time to remove this shameful label. I hope we do not losing these little time.
Before crocodile eaten the final feeds!
There is more than 130 UK Parliamentarian who are supporting this case; I hope next coming year Iranian can celebrate their new year inside Iran.
Homburg –Deutschland
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=34656&SESSION=891

Farzaneh

Thank you for an excellent article. I too, am an Iranian dissident living in the UK. All too often I read articles which overlook the real issues. That is, as Melanie Philips so accurately put it, that Iran is the single greatest danger to the world today, and that the governments decision to proscribe the PMOI was grossly perverse. It is nice to finally see an article which exposes the truth and gets to the point.

Ramon Hassani

I agree entirely with the content of this article. The People's Mojahedin are an anti-fundamentalist movement led by women. As such, they pose the greatest existential threat to the bearded mullahs. The UK government should be supporting them, not banning them simply to appease the regime. Did I mention they have the support of the majority of MPs?

Michael

What an excellent news that there is a resistance group so powerful and dedicated to erase this ruthless and medieval dictatorship from the face of the earth. The sooner we get rid of these brutal mullahs who execute children and stone women to death and amputate limbs and gouge out eyes and commit the most barbaric and ungodly things under the banner of Islam, the better. So Mr Brown why don't you stop supporting these democratic Iranians instead and is the peti-economic interests that your government is after, more important than human rihgts values. If that is the case then this government should bow its head in shame.

S. Khanshir

Yes indeed "there is precious little time left". What an amazing conclusion Ms. Phillips has reached at her timely article. The Iranian people and their just and legitimate Resistance have always rejected the mullahs, the godfathers of fundamentalism and terrorism across the globe. The solution to the barbaric and inhuman ruling of the mullahs is neither war nor appeasement. There is a third option put by the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi and that is democratic change by the Iranian people’s resistance. By supporting the Iranian people's ambition to establish peace and democracy in their homeland which they have been longing for nearly three decades, the whole world would experience the tranquillity and fraternity once mullahs are toppled.
The British government should stop mollifying the mullahs and succumb to the ruling of the POAC in de-proscribing the PMOI from its unjust terror list.

Abbas Daria

When I read the article I couldn't imagine why on earth our government would appease a religous regime who hangs people publicly. I see this article as eyeopener for all of us. I really would like to see more articles in this regard. I wish the best for the Iranian resistance and maybe with the help from the legal system Iranians will for once have the british stop standing in their way of toppling this regime.

Nick Shelley

Nice plug for Mr Phillips. No problem with that- made me smile!

Mehrdad

Well done Ms. Phillips! I hope this wakes up some thousands people.. If it wouldn't be for these governments to appease the mullahs we would already have a free country to go back to. They are now killing the people of Iran just because of the terrorist label on the PMOI! Otherwise there would so much presure on the regime that they would think twice before killing a mojahed or even a family member.

They think by appeasing the mullahs they can by time or even prevent a war or whatever.. But should indeed think twice, because if the regime gets a bomb then a war definetly WILL happen..

Thank you for pointing out the rights of the PMOI! The only hope for Iran, Mojahedin of Iran!

Michael B

A particularly refreshing piece of commentary, placing the Iranian hydra and mullahs into a proper perspective. Truly astonishing, how rarely that is done.

Hanif

Wonderful, I thank you for this brilliant article. At last the Media is waking up and defending the rights of the people and standing firm in their argument against the EU. I know you may get criticised for this article by the regimes agents operating in Europe. People in Iran need support from people like you so as a small member of the Iranian community I thank you.

D. Arvidsson

Just a perfect piece! Just reminds one of how our government appeased the Nazis until the WW2. I don't think 50milion more lives need to parish for us to understand that it's wrong to appease Nuclear-armed Murderous dictators. FREE THE IRIANIAN PEOPLE NOW! SUPPORT THE PMOI!

Kayvan

No doubt the uniform gushing of praise for Ms Phillips' piece is completely spontaneous and penned by genuine and different readers!

I thought that such unanimity of praise had died with Stalin and Saddam. But, I see I was wrong.

Samir

Dear Ms Phillips,
Excellent article!!!!
Thank you for echoeing the voice of hundreds of thousands men and women, young and old, througout Iran who bravely have shown their commitment to change the iranian regime in over 5000 protests across Iranian towns and villages since march 2007. those who have been inspired, motivated, educated and empowered with love and commitment to freedom by the Iranian resistance.
the injustice done to Iranian Resistance by proscribing them as a tool to appeace the mullahs, the response to this by taking the legal route, battling to the end, then again the refusal of the government failing to acknowledge failure of appeasement does show both side's level of understanding and accepting democracy and rule of law.

Novin Omid

I read your excellent article, "Why is the UK appeasing Iran?" and was proud to see there are still journalists who stand up for justice. The Iranian government is the biggest enemy of peace and tranquility in the region and the entire world, not because they are developing a nuclear weapon they would no doubt use, but more dangerous than that is the religious fanaticism that they are the heartland for it and you have correctly remarked that one can find their finger prints on every terrorist activity. The solution to this problem is in the hands of the Iranian resistance. The appeasement of the Mullahs has done a lot of damage to their endeavors to restore freedom and democracy in Iran. Yesterday I heard that in just one year more than 10000 articles have been published and distributed as part of the campaign led by the Iranian ministry of information and their allies in west (the appeasers) to disinform the public about PMOI. Your article and the noble article from Mr. Rosenberg which I was privileged to know about it through your blog are very heart worming indeed. More power to your elbow!

phil

I knew Iranians who were thrown out of Iran back in the 70,s by the loony's, who had their money in Iran changed for pounds by the mullahs at the rate of 10 to 1(not in their favour) on the streets of the uk -nice religious people eh ?and our government continues to run scared -I just wish Winston could come back -he knew how to handle these people.If we don't the west will pay just as we did with hitler -he told us regularly what his intentions were and we ignored him ---just like today -why do we have to rely on Melanie and Joshua? -do we no longer have statesmen ?

bahram

I am really touched by Melanie Phillips article. As was indicated in her fine article the world is facing a great threat from a fanatic and nuclear regime under the pretext of Islam. We should support and encourage those who have the courage to confront a regime which is propogating religious fanatism and intolerance . I hope to see more reporters who are brave enough to stand against governments appeasement policy towards Iran

Michael

An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last. One can smell the stench of appeasement by this British government in the air. I think Winston was perhaps talking about Mr. Brown's government or Jack Straw who used to call himself a great friend of the Iranian Ayatollahs. But before the crocodile eats us all, let's help Iranian PMOI to stablish a peaceful and democratic government in Iran and send these mullahs to where they belon to.

Steve Lewis

Living in the US I read the chronicle and the Telegraph as well as your columns. I am starting to believe that you are on target. The English Jewish comminity is sleeping.

Azadeh M

Spot on question! Why exactly is our government appeasing a despicable and dangerous regime while blacklisting its opposition?

This is a bizarre political/legal issue which is making a mockery of the rule of law in this country. Quite frankly it is embarrassing. One can only hope that the Court of Appeal judgment will remedy this injustice.

DBCJohn

My impression from a visit to Iran a couple of years ago are that most of the people I met (ok they were urban, educated English speakers, Muslim & Zoroastrian & Armenian) was that they were well and truly fed up with their government but felt isolated. The impression was that an attack by the West would strengthen rather than weaken the government, an oil embargo may well do the same, though Iran could find other markets (China?). Recognition of the PMOI as a legitimate body would be a start. Turkish Kurds are persecuted for celebrating Newroz (I think it is pre-Islamic and associated with the ancient Medes, ancestors of the Kurds). Equal Pressure should be brought to bear on Turkey. I wonder if Ms has laid herself open to a charge of supporting a ‘terrorist’ organisation?

B Williamson

Melanie Phillips is one of the few brave commentators in Britain willing to step up to the plate when militant Islam is the topic. Contrary to hysterical rebuttals by the likes of Inayat Bunglawala and his cabal of supporters within Labour she speaks with one defiantly single and definitely unsplit tongue. We are living in times which require an honest approach to journalism and sadly this is lacking especially within the PC riddled BBC. Long may she continue!

Mike R.

Re: Kayvan
Do you have anything useful to say regarding the article? You simply sound like a petulant 4 year old who isn't getting enough attention.

Lynne T

Abbas Daria
April 3rd, 2008 1:10pm
When I read the article I couldn't imagine why on earth our government would appease a religous regime who hangs people publicly.

Great point, Abbas. You'd think the public executions of people on some of the flimsiest of contexts (i.e. allegations of promescuity, homosexuality, or whatever as opposed to say, punishing fairly convicted murderers)would make Iran a focal point, but like the murderous regime of Saddam Hussein, not so much until the US starts talking about "regime change".

Andy Gill

I have also met some people from the Iran Liberty Association. These are also brave people who are dedicated to fighting fundamentalism in Iran. I have heard some tragic stories about how relatives had been threatened and in some cases killed by the regime.

Why in God's name do our media and newspapers refuse to speak out against this thuggish Iranian regime? Why do the left-wing in this country make common cause with the oppressors, the fundamentalists, the human rights abusers and the terrorists?

http://www.damavand.org.uk/campaigns.html

H. Mirmohammadi

Spot on Mellanie Phillips!

The PMOI's proscription is an enormous injustice. Our government's flagrant disregard for the rule of law is quite frankly shocking. Proscribing Iran's democratic opposition, a group I understand has the support of the majority of Iranians both in exile and domestically, sends a disastrous message not only to the despotic mullah's but more importantly to the Iranian people. Our government should be taking the lead in this case and not bowing to the mullah's demands.

Ultimately it is the Iranian people who bear the brunt of this heinous regime and unfortunately proscribing the Iranian PMOI is costing lives. Our government should not be getting its hands dirty!

Mehrdad

The PMOI are the only true voice of the Iranian people.
Just take a look at the sham polls that were held in Iran last month. Practically all international media organisations there reported that the polling stations across the country were deserted. This regime has no legitimacy.

Michael

DBCjohn: The point is that the UK is interfering in Iran by labelling this group as terrorist in the face of two court judgments. The group was only ever put on the blacklist at the behest of Tehran, a fact admitted by our now Justice Secretary Jack Straw. Well the continued terror listing of the PMOI is about as far away from justice as you could possibly get.

The whole point is that we should not be interefering by labelling the PMOI as terrorist illegally.

Whitehall should now do the right thing by lifting the ban on the PMOI and allowing the Iranian people and their resistance to bring about democratic change in Iran.

That is the message by the writer of this article and that is the message from the Iranian people. Stop assisting the Iranian regime by labelling the PMOI as terrorist, instead remove the PMOI immediately and allow the Iranian people to bring about democratic change.

It is simple. Our legislation is not here to assist the Mullahs in curtailing democracy. Release the PMOI from this illegal ban and let the Iranian people bring change.

field

Because Gordon Brown is an appeaser?

Hanif

As Mellanie has said in her wonderful article, it is time for the West and in particular the British Government to see the realities of Iran and embrace the Iranian people's struggles for democratic change led by the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI). Jack Straw placed the name of the PMOI on the terrorism list when he was the Home Secretary in order to appease the brutal mullahs in Iran. Later, when he became the Foreign Secretary, again, he promised the theocratic regime of Iran to continue keeping the PMOI in the list if Tehran stopped enrichment of uranium! Now that the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC) has ordered the government to remove the PMOI from the list "Ayatollah Straw"! should indeed apologise to the Iranian people and their Resistance movement for delaying change in Iran. Why should the Iranian people pay the price of appeasement policy of our government towards the most barbaric regime on the face of the earth?
It is time for our government to wake up to the realities inside Iran and the fact that this dictatorial regime is now the major global threat. It is time that our government stop all conciliatory approaches towards the murderous mullahs, stand firm against them and sides with millions of Iranian people's aspirations for democratic change in Iran through their organised resistance movement and through the leadership of Maryam Rajavi!

Jimmy123

Jack Straw is an appeaser, the likes of which has not been seen for many years. Fancy cuddling up to the mullahs and turning a blind eye to children being hanged in public, women being stoned to death, students being killed under torture and labour leaders being imprisoned.

About the war, which Jack Straw played a major part in bringing about - when the going got tough, British troops are being withdrawn leaving the Iraqis in the South of the country at the mercy of fundamentalist Shiite militia who are funded and armed by Iran. Now people are being hung in public and women stoned to death in southern Iraq. Great job Jack!

They call themselves Labour - what a joke.

Tony McNulty is no better and nor is Gordon Brown.

Thank god we are able to rely on the British Courts.

Iran is not the business of McNulty, Straw or Brown. If the Iranian people and their opposition want to change their regime that is their business. The government has no business interfering by proscribing the PMOI. We've seen your handy work in Iraq and if you do not mind we do not want to see a repeat!

Noemi

Superb! How refreshing to read an articulate and accurate assessment of the case of Iran's main opposition movement, the PMOI.

The fact is, the PMOI are supported by the majority of Iranians both domesticlly and by those in exile. Furthermore, they have the support of parliamentarians, jurists and human rigthts activists the world over. Why? Because their cause is just and their path is right. Being placed on the terrorist list in the UK was only ever a disgraceful good-will gesture to Tehran as has been rightly pointed out. I am a firm believer in the notion that facts speak for themselves and justice always prevails, as is beginning to happen in this case.

Ian C

It is very rare to read a quality blogsite comments section where where the first 40 all agreed with the matter raised. Congratulations Melanie.

M Clyde

Agree wholeheartedly. A whole generation has been born in Iran since 1979, and they have little to thank the mullahs for.

Is the Maryam mentioned in the bloggers comments the same person as Maryam Namazie?

Archie Wedderspoon

Andy Gill asks why left-wingers support oppressors, fundamentalists, human-rights abusers and terrorists. Surely the answer is because that is what they are.

Lara Hickling

I am so ashamed that our government has acted in this way. So much for promoting justice in the middle east!

Bob Latchford

Ian C, do not be fooled into thinking that every comment is in agreement....this is my 3rd attempt at posting on this piece, and like my previous 2 it will probably end up being seen by noone but the moderators who seem to have taken it upon themselves to refuse to post any counter arguement.

London Calling

Another eye opening article, well done Melanie & Joshua. I didn't know anything about the PMOI, or that our Government has them listed as terrorists and that an agreement was made with Iran to keep the PMOI on a terrorist list in exchange that Tehran stop its enrichment of uranium. Am I shocked? No, and I
disgusted, most certainly. Our Government needs to be sent a clear message that 'Freedom is not for sale' and neither are the Iranian people. I would just like to add that I was very moved by the comments above and would like to thank our Muslim guests for contributing to this debate with their knowledge and insight, it remind us that we are not so very different and all strife for a common good,and we must never lose sight of that fact,whatever happens.

hanif

Maryam mentioned in the bloggers comments is Maryam Rajavi who is the President elect of the Iranian Resistance movement.

freydoun

I feel badly ashamed that this British government is still dealing with a regime that killed more than 120.000 people that just wanted freedom for their country and their families. And worse, they even don't listen to the ruling of the POAC.

The government may talk about freedom and democracy in their own country, but until now they have shown that they really don't care about the others. About 80% of the people in Iran are living a poor life without any brightness in their future. The youth are using drugs and are living in the streets, because they don't want to see this hangings and tortures in their streets anymore. And if we don't stop this barbaric Iranian regime, we will see the results soon in the UK and the rest of Europe too.

That's why it makes me angry that this British government just cares about their own money and needs and don't even listen to their own people. It's not that they just ignore this situation and the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI), they work very hard against this humanitarian people that just want freedom and democracy in their country. They didn't do anything wrong (many sources confirm that fact) but still they are treated in this way.

But thanks to their strong believe in justice, they don't give up their struggle. And with people like Melanie Phillips and Parliamentarians led by Lord Corbett who support them and other supporters, we can soon enjoy a free and democratic Iran.

Michael

Appeasement of the Iranian regime is not the solution, it is the cause. This policy of appeasement is what has emboldened the regime to such an extent that it feels that it can hold the world to ransom over its nuclear weapons programme, it can assist in the murder of British and coalition troops in Iraq, it can cause destruction across the Middle East and at home and still the international community will stand weak in its path, asking politely if the regime will please change its ways.

The latest evidence of this policy lies with the UK Government's reaction to the case of the PMOI which was heard before the Proscribed Organisations Appeals Commission (POAC). 35 MPs and Peers took the British Government to court over the labelling of the PMOI as a terrorist organisation and its refusal to remove the PMOI from its blacklist. They were successful, with the Court finding the Secretary of State's decision 'perverse' and 'flawed', while ordering the Secretary of State to lay an order before Parliament removing the PMOI from the list.

The Government's answer has been to appeal and attempt to prolong this policy of restraining the democratic Iranian opposition in order to please the world's most dangerous regime. This is not only unjustified, it is simply bad politics. The solution to this crisis lies with the Iranian opposition and Maryam Rajavi the President-elect of the NCRI. They have the support both inside and outside Iran and the necessary ability to bring about that democratic change. The Iranian opposition and the Iranian people are the opportunity to solve this crisis. Restrain them and a further war in the region may loom on the horizon.

Bob Latchford

Can any supporters of Israel explain why it is still buying Iranian oil?

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/richard_silverstein/2008/04/israels_tehran_connection.html

james

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/campaigning-end-stoning-iran-20080115

This is the link of one of the recent statements by Amnesty International. Can you really call a regime that stones women to death a 21st century government. And our government still defend the actions of this barbaric regime. Is it not the penal code of the mullahs which says the stones with which they want to kill poor victims should not be too big so that the victim does not die immediately and they must not be too small and the whole idea is to make victims suffer as much as possible. This is the rule of monster ayatollahs that our government defends.

Raymond

It is with utter regret that Tehran's rulers have taken the people of ancient Persia back to the Middle Ages.
Once the cradle of civilization, Iran under the mullahs' rule is today a state of repression and terror. Earlier this year this ruthless dictatorship amputated the arms and legs of five prisoners for taking part in activities against the state. More than 600 people have been executed since Ahmadinejad has taken over as president of this theocracy. More than 10 children have been executed and over 70 juveniles are in death row and two sisters have been recently sentenced to stoning.

It would come as a surprise then that rather than aiding those who seek to end the ayatollahs' near-three-decade long reign of terror, torture and executions, the British government is lending support to these brutal ayatollahs to suppress their opponents and the Iranian people.

Given the fact that more than 120,000 members of the PMOI have been executed by the regime and the group's underlying commitment to respect for human rights and civil liberties, the PMOI have a formidable backing in EU states' parliaments and the U.S. Congress.

Gordon Brown and his EU allies must now lift the "unlawful" ban on the main Iranian opposition force and side with the Iranian people in their brave efforts to bring about democratic change in Iran. This shameful appeasement policy adopted by our government has only emboldened the turbaned tyrants of Iran to massacre the Iranian people and brazenly defy the will of the International community.

Hoda

The disastrous consequences following the recent invasion of Iraq suggests that Western military invasion of Iran will be equally, if not significantly more, disastrous.
It remains that the only organised, strong force of opposition against the Iranian regime lies with Iranian dissidents in Iran and in exile, notably the PMOI. These dissidents MUST be supported in their struggle against the Iranian theocracy.
Finally, the British government's reputation really will lie in tatters if the PMOI is not once and for all, and immediately, removed from the list of terror organisations. It is shameful that they were proscribed in the first place, and that they have remained on the list for such a period of time.

david skinner

Why should people be amazed at the response of the British government that is composed from top to bottom with atheists, secularists, humanists, Marxists and anarchists. In a world where there is no ultimate, rational basis for belief in a universal morality, truth or beauty, over and above our understanding, then the logical conclusion is that nothing has any value; life is absurd - meaningless. We see this not only in the mindless cruelty being displayed by teenage gangs, but in a mindset that seems to be becoming normal for most of our young people. What might be shocking and completely unacceptable behaviour can almost overnight become respectable and what was previously considered to be decent and responsible behaviour can become criminal. Morality and truth have become completely turned on their heads.
Without any fixed, absolute point of reference, human nature has a way of accommodating and becoming comfortable over a period of time with a state of hell. It can gradually sleep walk into becoming hardened, desensitised to cruelty, barbarism and evil, until what was considered abnormal or deviant becomes the acceptable norm, as happened in Nazi Germany, Russia, China, Cambodia and now- even Britain. No wonder the British government condemns those who strive for justice in Iran, whilst praising those who have descended to barbarism.

Behrouz sharifi

Thanks very much for such article. What is happening in Iran now, is out of imagination. The Mullahs’ destroyed one of the greatest countries in the word. They kill torture and stone to death. They are exporting terrorism and fundamentalism to the whole world, especially Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan. They are trying hard to acquire nuclear weapons. If these mad Mullahs get their hand on nuclear bomb, be sure no one is safe in this world, as they have already promised to wipe Israel off the map. Then Gordon Brown and his cabinet must live in nuclear proof bunkers.

John

If the international community lends support to the Iranian people and their resistance movement, this would undoubtedly force the regime to think twice before unilaterally pressing on with its clandestine nuclear projects and meddling in the affairs of regional states. It would also encourage the population to come out in greater numbers against the regime which is becoming increasingly isolated on the international scene.

Reza

It is clear that as long as Britain and the EU continue to stifle the very force working tirelessly to end the mullahs' despotic rule, the regime would feel secure enough to brazenly ignore however many security council ultimatums it receives.

Whitehall should do the right thing by lifting the ban on the PMOI and allowing the Iranian people and their resistance to bring about democratic change in Iran. Such action, coupled with comprehensive sanctions against the regime at the UN, would be an appropriate response and pave the way for fundamental change in Iran.

freddy

Hmmm. From the little reading I've done, PMOI was allied to Saddam Hussein, and has a history of bombings and assassinations.

I have no love for the mullahs, but these don't sound like "warm, attractive" people to me.

Hayward Maberley

Georg Friedrich Hegel was obviously quite right in saying " The only thing that we learn from history is that we do not learn from history"
Granted that the current regime in Iran is a very unpleasant one, BUT none of the blogs to date have recalled history. For the Shah, one of "our bastards" was put on the top of the dung heap by the US after the CIA coup that ousted Prime Minister Mossadegh a secular, western educated academic. This was done for the same reason as the current Iraq Fiasco, control and sale of oil.
Iran is then run as a vassal state of the US. Spending large amounts of its national income from oil on luxury items and living for its ruling class and lots of toys for its military. Much of that money ending up back in the US. Opposition grew, Mossad was subcontracted to train SAVAK. An organisation not known for its respect for legality or human rights.
Iran following on from the Revolution, which started with high ideals has reverted almost to what it was under the Shah. However Iran's intransigence could be seen as reaction to the absolute bastardry of the US.
For the US determined not to "lose" Iran, as it had "lost" China and Viet Nam. Not that they were a US possession to start with, in other words more US style revanchism. The US let it be known that another "our bastard" Saddam Hussein would be well regarded if he were to attack Iran. Thus we have the slow lead up to the current Iraq Fiasco.
And now?
The CIA is using MEK aka PMOI in both intelligence gathering and destabilisation activities. Of interest is the fact that the philosophy of MEK/PMOI is a strange mixture of Nationalism, Marxism and Islam. They may be opposed to the current regime in Iran. But an Iran with a MEK/PMOI leadership will probably not become a vassal state of the US. So will the US pay any more attention to history.
For as George Santayana said “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it

shahram

A brilliant article, it’s high time that the British government grasp the priorities and for once side with the Iranian people. Short term visions in the past resulted in appeasing Hitler and facing the horrible price that had to be paid to rectify that wrong policy. It does seem that many in the FCO have not learnt a lesson from that mistake. In the past the British government always sided with dictators in Iran and the main people who ended up paying the price for that wrong policy were the Iranian people. But now, under the present regime it’s not only people in Iran who are suffering but it’s the whole of the Middle East region. This regime wants to revive an Islamic Empire that is based on “their own” view of the world. They are actively trying to undermine peace between the Israeli and the Palestinians. In Lebanon and Iraq they encourage a civil war and want to impose “their own” kind of order. The British government even to protect “their own self interest” must surely realise that a region engulfed in crises will undermine the global security given the importance of the energy and west’s dependence on the flow of oil from that region. There is “only” one solution and that is to support the Iranian people and their legitimate resistance led by the PMOI to bring about a democratic secular Iran.

Mohamed

PMOI is the only Iranian people’s hope for democracy and freedom, and enjoys the support of the majority of the Iranian people. The PMOI is the only and main Iranian opposition group that is able and capable of toppling the Mullahs. That's why the Mullahs' Intelligence services and its agents inside and outside Iran try to demonize PMOI and are heavily involved in misinformation champagne against PMOI. As you can see above they are parroting exactly what the Mullahs' regime is saying and writing in its newspapers and websites. Now it's time for the British government to stop appeasing the Mullah's dictatorship regime, respect the rule of law and remove the PMOI from the terror list. The British government must take side with the Iranian people and their resistance, not with the murderous Mullahs.

patrick

Appeasing Iran??!!?
What about Israel?

If you've ever wondered about the definition of hypocrisy you'll find the answer right here.

Last month the Swiss foreign minister visited Iran and, together with President Ahmadinejad, attended the signing of a multi-billion euro contract for Iran to supply Switzerland with large amounts of natural gas over the next 25 years.

The US State Department immediately condemned the deal and said it would be investigating whether it breached the Iran Sanctions Act. Israel complained too, describing the Swiss minister's visit to Tehran as an "act unfriendly to Israel". Various Jewish groups also joined in the protests, including the World Jewish Congress.

This righteous indignation was entirely predictable but more than a little odd nevertheless. On March 30, the Swiss newspaper Sonntag retaliated with the revelation that Israel, supposedly observing an ironclad boycott of all things Iranian, has been buying Iranian oil for years.

The story is in German but Israeli journalist /www.arendt-art.de/deutsch/elam_shraga.htm>Shraga Elam has provided me with a translation which I'll quote from here.

"Israel imports Iranian oil on a large scale even though contacts with Iran and purchasing of its products are officially boycotted by Israel. Israel gets around the boycott by having the oil delivered via Europe. A reliable Israeli energy newsletter, EnergiaNews, reported this last week [March 18] ...

"EnergiaNews got the information about the Iran trade from sources with ties to the management of Israeli Oil Refineries Ltd ... According to EnergiaNews the Iranian oil is liked in Israel because its quality is better than other crude oils.

Wake up Mel and smell the Oil.
Oh - and do some research before you go spouting off the first thing that comes to mind.

Shahram

Hayward Maberley: As am academic, I feel you have perhaps had a very naïve understanding on what really happened in Iran when the “BRITISH” lobbied and were “INSTRUMENTAL” in overthrow of the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. It was Mossadegh’s actions against the “BRITISH” interest in Iran and the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company which resulted in a joint CIA and MI6 operation that toppled his government. In all of your examples, China, Vietnam and even Iran, it was the post colonial era which resulted in the popular nationalist movements that demanded the right to their own destiny and their sovereignty. It had very little to do with the US direct involvements. The US merely moved to fill the vacuum left by the British, French and other colonial powers. PMOI/MEK founders were also influenced by the popular nationalistic and anti-colonial movements through out the world and founded a movement which at its heart was to continue what Mosssadegh started and stood for. Again to suggest that the CIA is using the PMOI as an intelligence source reflects your lack of understanding of the Iran-US relationship. The US, like the British were not concerned about Iran as long as the Iranians didn’t undermine west’s interest in the region. It was due to this understanding that both the US and British administrations since the 1979 revolution, tried to appease the Iranian regime. Iran-Contra affair was a proof of such appeasement by the US administration under Ronald Reagan. It was Bill Clinton’s administration that put the PMOI/MEK in the list of Terrorist Organisations’ in the US and the British and the EU followed suit. So to suggest that the CIA is using PMOI/MEK, when the CIA and the US administration were instrumental in the policy of appeasement is far from logical. The only rational policy which can bring order to Iran and wider Middle East is the policy which reflects the desires of the Iranian people for democracy. If west wants to learn from history, they have to recognise the right of the Iranian people to their own destiny. PMOI/MEK are the most organised and popular movement in Iran. This is not what I say but it is what the Iranian government admits in all their statements. Iranian diplomats in all their meetings with their counterparts demand actions against the PMOI and their supporters abroad. Therefore if anyone is “serious” in finding and solution to extremist policies of the present regime in Iran, they have to bring the PMOI/MEK in their calculations as they are the most popular organisation inside and outside Iran. By keeping them in the list of terrorist organisations there is only one beneficiary and that is the present regime in Iran.

Bob Latchford

I wonder if Ms Phillips or any of her acolytes would be brave enough to send their children to Iran in the war that the regime change they demand would inevitably bring. I wonder if, like Iraq, Ms Phillips and her fellow chickenhawks were happy to see other mothers send their children off to fight and die in the conflicts she so slaverously encourages

Ann

"Why should people be amazed at the response of the British government that is composed from top to bottom with atheists, secularists, humanists, Marxists and anarchists" -- the usual unthinking rant from Skinner. The British government has at the top one Gordon Brown, of whom Skinner appears to be quite unaware. OK, Skinner, let's explain it slowly: Gordon Brown is a practising CHRISTIAN.

phil

patrick I have never needed to be a detective until I started posting here ,but when I read your stuff I went to the site you got it from -another anti-Semitic site ( by another man claiming to represent Jews )and I NEVER USE THAT WORD LIGHTLY (THE ISRAELIS WRITE IN HEBREW NOT ARABIC OR DID YOU NOT KNOW THAT -JUST FOLLOW THROUGH TO SOME OF THE MANS WRITING ON SIMILAR SUBJECTS AND SUDDENLY BY A MIRACLE ARABIC SCRIPT APPEARS FOLLOWED BY ANTI -ISRAELI PROPAGANDA -this is not really for you but anyone else who may have been initially upset by your rubbish-you might as well have found old copies of der sturmer and quoted from there- the Swiss complaint part is true-sanctions you know WE ARE SUPPOSED TO KEEP TO THEM -and the other oil stuff is the usual disgusting nonsense you people write -put your proof patrick not a quote from a nutcase that suits YOUR purpose THERE IS NOTHING ON THE INTERNET,AND THERE SURELY WOULD BE IF IT WERE TRUE-I suppose I should really leave Melanie to deal with people like you ,she knows a lot more than me but you no doubt would call her a right winger and I am just a silly old liberal type

London Calling

We all have to share from the same waterhole, regardless to who owns it, for until we find another supplier we are all bound to drink, I speak here of course with regards to our dependence on oil and the countries who supply it. Does anyone here for one moment honestly believe that trade between the West and China would cease because Human rights in China continues to be abused and the products we so luxuriously enjoy is produced off the back of poor wages and squalid working conditions, I think not!!, simply because what we don't see, doesn't hurt us?
Melanie Phillips a British Jew is no more responsible (if True) for Israel buying in oil from Iran via Europe, than I a British Christian is for our Christian Prime Minister Gordon Brown for putting the PMOI on a terrorist list and allowing arms to be sold by Britain to rogue countries. The Iranian leader is likened to a Tumor, he feeds evil with the sale of oil and ultimately this feeds the bloodshed in the name of Islam of which every vessel spreads out to all the parts where conflict reigns, therefore if Israel does buy Iranian oil in the knowledge that it allows Iran to purchase arms against its own people, it is for Israel to answer for this and for us as individuals to question and express our views if we are critical of their actions. There is no perfect round I'm afraid and the more we learn, the more we uncomfortably
realise that the worlds Love for power is more important than the worlds power for Love, therefore it is important that we expose the Iranian leader for the threat he truly is to us all whilst he continues with his nuclear program, for if we take our eyes off the ball we have all been fooled and shall ultimately pay the price.

Hayward Maberley

Shahram: Your opening statement concerning academic and naive has me confused. Do you call me both an academic and naïve, or are you an academic calling me naïve. Well whatever, but I am neither an academic nor naïve. I in do work in an academic library in Australia so have access to good resources and have interesting conversations with academics. Yes am well aware of the activities of Kermit the Roosevelt and the assistance given to the British by the sisters at the CIA in the financing, planning,organising and staging of the coup that brought an end to Prime Minister Mossadegh. In truth it was far more a CIA operation than a MI6 one.
I do not disagree with you on the fact of popular nationalist movements demanding the right to their own destiny and sovereignty. However in 1949 with the establishment of the PRC there was a great outcry over “Losing China to the Communists” And one of the strands in the whole sad Viet Nam Farrago WAS the idea that they must not “lose: that country. As for the vacuum, the US believed it had the right, while preaching about democracy, self government , apple pie , motherhood etc to either displace a government it did not approve of, or assist to into power and help retain power people it would charmingly refer to as “our bastards” .And for what is happening in the Middle East, or for me in Australia the Middle West , I do not disagree with what you say . It is a last ditch or close to it effort by the US to control the energy resources that it so depends on to exert hegemony. That comes straight out of the PNAC Manifesto. MEK did by many accounts provide information on the nuclear enrichment that Iran was undertaking. The machinations of the US political/intelligence/military complex is a mystery I agree.
I hope that the people of Iran can cast off this thoroughly nasty theocratic administration, just as I hope the all people can do so. That includes those of the US and the UK as well. We are hopeful in Australia, but our new government as far as I and many others is still to cosy with US hegemony.

Hayward Maberley

”...it is about time for our government to realize this and to stop appeasing the godfathers of international terrorism”
How are we to judge terrrorism M.N.R.?
The USA was found guilty of supporting terrorism by the International Court of Justice. The finding was based on clear evidence showing support given to “Contras” financially, materially, militarily and morally. It included the mining of harbours and the destruction of infrastructure as well as indiscriminate slaughter of civilians. The case, Nicaragua v the United States of America.
Then there are all those wonderful graduates from that strangely named ”School of The Americas”

Ben

Bob Latchford I think you are wrong because you think regime change in Iran is the same as military intervention and a repitition of Iraq. No the truth is that the wast majority of Iranians want real fundamental democratic change and this is the only way to prevent an all out war. Our government has put the biggest obstacle in the path of this democratic change and has restricted the main Iranian opposition movement, PMOI, that our own courts say it is not a terrorist organisation and should be removed from this chain. This destructive policy of appeasement is already the main reason for many executions in Iran, because the mullahs consider it as a green light to kill and make a mockery of the International community.

Michael

Hayward Maberley, the reality is that the US and major western governments have done their utmost to save this ruthless tyranny in Iran and it has been the Iranian people who have paid a very heavy price with their flesh and blood. Yes more than 120,000 PMOI members and supporters have been executed by this stone-aged dictatorship in Iran and now that journalists and humanitarian people are finally asking for democracy in Iran, you are saying this is wrong and ... come on for god sake stop crying wolf and lecturing us about the threat of US or western interference. The message is very clear: STOP RESTRICTIONS AGAINST IRAN'S DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION MOVEMENT AND LET THE PEOPLE OF IRAN DETERMINE THEIR OWN DESTINY.