FOR's Peacemaking Delegation to Iran: May 2007

 

Report One, Part 2: People and Governments -- Political Observations

 

John Lindsay-Poland: Historical Inaccuracies

One of the results of the tension between the governments of Iran and the United States is the way visas are restricted. Before our delegation departed, one group sponsored by Mennonite Central Committee was refused its visas, while another sponsored by Global Exchange was experiencing similar challenges. Just two days before our scheduled departure from the United States our visas were approved, but on the condition that we not hold meetings. After a rapid consultation, we decided to go and make contact in informal ways with Iranian people.

When the man learned that we are from the United States, he said, “We say that there are only two countries where Iranians can live: in Iran and in the United States.” He is a pilot who was a child during the war with Iraq, in which his brother was killed. We agreed that no one – neither the Ayatollah Khamenehi nor George Bush – makes decisions alone. And that in the deadlock between the United States and Iran, someone must act first to generate dialogue. “I think the United States needs to act first,” he said. “They could start by freeing the five Iranians held in Iraq.”

Several Iranians have spoken to us about the damaging portrayal of Persians in the film 300, which they said was historically inaccurate. The film (disclosure: I haven’t seen the film) reportedly portrays Persia together with Arabs attacking Iran, when in fact Persia never made alliances with the Arabs, and Greece attacked Persia as much as the other way around. In fact, Persia/Iran has not attacked other countries. People in two separate conversations told us that what the film does is prepare the U.S. public to see Iran as against dialogue, as aggressors, as legitimate targets for war. More than most of our compatriots, these Iranians were keenly aware of the relevance of historical understanding to decisions made today.

 

Kay Fields: Like Brothers

We visited a village called Mosuleh, in the western hills above the Caspian Sea. It is deep inside a green and narrow gorge, uphill from the rice paddies in the plains below.  Because of the height and rainfall, it is densely wooded, and apparently, based on what we passed through, it has only this one village.

Mosuleh is large – 2,000 people, I believe we were told – and 1,400 meters high, and it has retained some of the customs and architecture of the hills: using wood, and building up the hillside, houses sit almost on top of each other, with access via stone stairs. The rooftops are soil, sometimes with cement on top.

As we went up into the village, there were numerous shops along the way. I met one young man who stated that conditions were better when there was the king. Another man who spoke some English – pretty obviously a leader in a group of four or five men in another shop – could not guess that I was from the United States, and guessed everywhere else. When I told him I was from the United States and that we were visiting to establish an exchange of people-to-people views, he commented that Iran loves our country and that the two countries are like brothers. He symbolized this with a self-handshake that expressed great warmth. We established that both our families are full of teachers, and that he hopes that his two children who are attending the University in Teheran will return to the village and be teachers too.

When I left, I was surprised when the men initiated handshakes, since we had been warned that men would not want to shake hands with women. I said that I hope that our countries will show each other more respect, and we agreed that would be important.

Johanna Uitenbroek with a young Iranian woman in Mosuleh

 

Jesse Guma: Talking Politics with Young Iranians

Talking politics in Iran can be a difficult subject to discuss, even without the obvious language barrier, and engaging an Iranian youth in that discussion can be even more elusive.

Our group was able to visit the Tochal Mountains in northern Tehran overlooking the city. Surprisingly, this area was crawling with young Iranians enjoying their weekend. After sparking up a conversation with a young Iranian woman, I asked her if Iranian youth were involved in politics. She smiled as if the answer was obvious. She proceeded to tell me that young Iranians are interested in politics, but they do not participate because they see the outcome as a forgone conclusion. With 70% of the country under 30 years of age, that reflects a large segment of the population being excluded.

The feeling of irrelevance is prevalent amongst the majority of young Iranians I have encountered. I can’t help but compare it to the majority of American youth who have similar views about the American political system. Eventually, young adults in both countries will realize their power and begin to make a difference.

 

George Helder:

My observations on the political situation in Iran emerge from personal contacts, newspapers, and TV.

In general, Iranian people like Americans. No one I talked to had anything bad to say about us. Often it was comments such as “We love you” or “I wish I could go to America” or “All Iranians love Americans.” However, no one had anything good to say about the American government. Often we heard “Down with Bush” or similar words. Also, although not often expressed, a number had nothing good to say about their own government.

Newspapers do not refer to “Israelis” but call them “Zionists.” On Iraq, they state that the USA requires Iran to solve the Iraq situation, which they say can only be solved if the United States withdraws. The Palestinians who died during the recent Israeli bombings they call martyrs. A big thing was made of the recent remarks by Jimmy Carter criticizing Tony Blair for supporting the United States’ foreign policy.

Television is mostly in Farsi. I have not seen any footage on Iraq. Sports seem to dominate. If there is any reference to Israel, it is again to “Zionists.”

Lastly, whenever a row of flags are present in a hotel, etc. the American flag is not there. I saw only one U.S. flag and it was painted upside down on a building. Its depiction had a ragged lower edge from bombs that were dropping from the stripes.

An Iranian man hosts Helena Garan for tea. (Photo: Johanna Uitenbroek)

Go to Part 3 of the First Report