(An interview with Aryo Pirouznia, Coordinator of the Student Movement for Democracy in Iran, SMCCDI; provided by SMCCDI)

L’Opinione (Italy)
By Stefania Lapenna

November 30, 2005

The echo of Ahmadinejad’s anti-Semitic statements still resounds in the international arena. And of course they have to. What is new in this entire scenario, however, is the Mullahs’ new target: Italy. Indeed, 15 thousand people demonstrating in front of the Islamic Republic’s embassy in Rome, for the right of Israel to exist and for the freedom of the Iranian people, sufficed to provoke the Mullahs’ angry reaction, who mobilized its usual professionals in front of the Italian embassy, carrying out banners with the face of the late Edoardo Agnelli.

Even that effort to bring in as many fanatics as possible, resulted into a fiasco, for only about 80 or less people participated.

What about the rest of the population? To know more, we asked Aryo Pirouznia, coordinator of the “Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran” (SMCCDI) and chairman of the newly-founded “Iran National Secular Party” (INSP).

Aryo, welcome again. First of all, tell us shortly about the new movement, the Iran National Secular Party.

Firstly, I thank you for this opportunity and the possibility to be able to bring some clarifications on what’s the Iranian situation and what might be some of the future’s perspective. Secondly, The INSP is a new born foundation in exile and has been founded on what SMCCDI brought in Iran’s political debate and all its rich experiences. The pillars of the INSP are secular democracy and the Iranism thought, which SMCCDI has promoted for several years and are now rallying millions of Iranians, especially students, the Iranian youth and women. Everyday there are more Iranians who are rallying around such positive, progressive and humanistic foundation which is the best antidote to the Islamist ideology and its backwardness, intolerance, belief and gender discrimination, fascism, fanaticism and wage of hate and terror.

INSP is an entity which should be able, as a political party, to help implementing the well known secular democracy and the Iranism aspirations of millions of Iranians in the years and decades to come.

Is it tied to any political ideology or orientation or is it independent?

The INSP is based on Iranians’ popular aspirations and it is totally independent from any ideological or foreign source.

The Movement has been founded to help Iran’s journey in our alas very late but so needed enlightenment period and to contribute in building an Iran for all Iranians, no matter of their believe, race or gender, want to live in a free country and to renew with the civilized world and to contribute to the mankind’s peace and prosperity. Some other main goals of the Movement, which were introduced by SMCCDI, are the separation of state and peligion, separation of power, equality in law, right of property, meritocracy, representative government and a free market.

What is your approach with Islam?

We should know that the Iranians of today are one of the most secularist and democracy-thirsty people of the planet. They are renewing with Iranian principles instead of Islamism. They’re valuing more historic figures like Cyrus the Great than Mohammed the Islamic prophet. The digital technology and the spread of satellite TVs and radio networks that broadcast to the millions of Iranians in Iran, contribute to most of the changes.

What’s your opinion about the recent demonstration held in Rome in front of the Islamic Republic’s embassy, to protest Ahmadinejad’s statements?

That was an unprecedented and positive move. It took everybody including the Islamic republic’s leadership in a total surprise. Many, including the clerics and their Islamist technocrats, portrayed as “reformers,” were believing that a country such as Italy (which has the best commercial relations with Iran) will never react and will always keep the silent in front of Islamic regime’s misdeeds.

This was without understanding the change of parameters in geo policy and especially the fed up Italian people who still remember the dark record of fascism and intolerance.

Have the Iranians inside Iran learned about this rally? And if so, what have been their reactions?

My countrymen learned about this unprecedented rally mainly via a special live program of the abroad-based Satellite TV network named NITV. We contacted the management of this network and gave the necessary elements while coordinating the internet download of the live program broadcasted by RAI 2.

NITV was able to offer a very informative program of the Iranian opposition to the Islamic regime’s point of view and analysis while re-transmitting live footage shown by RAI and analysis made by Italian commentators, journalists, activists and politicians which were translated simultaneously by an NITV translator.

The result was an overwhelming welcoming by millions of Iranians — especially by understanding that the majority of slogans were in favor of freedom of Iranians and in condemnation of the Islamic regime for its human rights abuses and illegitimacy.

The regime has protested against the rally and even summoned the Italian ambassador in Tehran.

How do you think the Italian government should behave in these cases?

I think that the Italian Government should maintain its new policy of firmness and, while praising this unprecedented event, I would like also to thank the Italian Ambassador in Tehran for his courage. The Islamic regime should understand that Italy is no more the silent witness of the clerics’ crimes, some made on Italian soil, or its waging of hate.

The unpopular Iranian regime must understand that Italy is a democracy respectful of its people’s will and right of expression and it should not try to prescribe its dictatorial methods for Italy.

Do you think the U.N. will finally impose sanctions against the Islamic Republic for its nuclear program and human rights record?

I only hope so, but I prefer to watch at this time. The UN, due to its structures, has not been a real help to Iranians so far. There are UN members that are the closest collaborators of the Islamic regime and other that fear that sanctions against the Islamic regime can create precedents for their own inculpation late on the very same grounds.

The problem of the UN is very deep and it goes to the way of its composition and administration.

Just to remind you that Iran was in 1948 the signatory of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and many other conventions. In our days everybody knew that thousands have been executed, tortured, imprisoned, stoned or lashed in Iran under various false labels and hence, the Islamic republic is still usurping the Iranian nation’s chair at the UN and is continuing its barbarian rule in total impunity.

What’s your take about the U.N.’s policy?

Shouldn’t a real United Nations — not a united regimes’ structure — expel the Islamic regime’s envoy from such administration and to keep the Iranian nation’s chair vacant until the nomination of a real Iranian people’s ambassador after the downfall of the current regime?

Shouldn’t the countries which are at each time abstaining from voting against the Islamic regime, or worst those who vote contrary to condemnation of the regime think, “What about Iranians?” Why not backing Iranians in their aspiration for a total change and to bet on them for any long-lasting business opportunity?

I let your readers to be the judge. I let the conscience of mankind make a judgment about my countrymen’s outcry. To help itself, the world should help Iranians to reach their goal and to speed up the implosion of the regime by clear messages of support for Iranians.

I thank you and L’Opinione’s management for such an opportunity. I thank Italy’s deep conscience.

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Related: Iran

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