From Supporting Palestine to Forsaking Iran: A Tale of Misplaced Loyalties

Let’s speak openly! Since this morning’s news of the death of Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah in Lebanon, as Khamenei, the big talker of the Middle East, cowers in hiding for safety, the last thing we need is a group of Iranians ripping their pants for Palestine and Lebanon! Just a glance at the social media stories of our compatriots in Luxembourg reveals how abundant these individuals are. Yes, the same ones who until yesterday were chanting “Women, Life, Freedom,” but today, in a miraculous shift, have leaped from advocating for Iran’s freedom to that of Palestine and now Lebanon!

Perhaps it’s time to look these individuals in the eye and ask: those who were willing to give everything for Iran and tore their own pants, why now are you selling your own people for the cause of another?

These chameleons, who have mastered the art of shifting colors, were the same people who, before the #Women_Life_Freedom movement, spent their vacations by Iran’s turquoise waters and green mountains, oblivious to the dire situation within Iran. But as soon as the scent of revolution reached them, they clung to the ranks of the opposition and even formed anti-regime groups. Why? Because they feared someone would one day ask, “Where were you?” Now, as the clamor has subsided, they’ve reverted to factory settings and returned as “defenders of Palestine” on the streets of Europe, tearing their collars and pants for another nation’s freedom.

These are the same individuals who, when it comes to Iran, think of nothing beyond a few dried herbs, fruit leathers, and fragrances from Mashhad; yet, as soon as the topic of Palestine or Lebanon arises, they become the most fervent human rights activists, tearing their shirts and pants on the streets of Europe and the US, chanting “Freedom!”

Again, I ask the same old question: which Palestinian or Lebanese shed tears for Iran during the Mahsa uprising? Which Arab stood beside us and said, “Iran must be free!”? Yet here you are, setting yourselves on fire to save another nation! Where in this behavior is there genuine humanitarian concern? If you are truly concerned about human rights, where were you during the crises in Ukraine, Yemen, Sudan, or Myanmar? Does human rights concern exist only for Palestine and Lebanon?

One possible explanation, which has been somewhat overlooked, is that a group of Iraqi, Lebanese, Palestinian, and other Arab nationals who resided in Iran years ago and integrated into Iranian society now call themselves “Iranians” but remain loyal to Arab causes. Perhaps these are the pseudo-Iranians who rip their shirts for Palestine yet have no true connection to Iran. Like Khomeini, they are more Arab in their hearts than Iranian, yet are adept at prescribing solutions for Iran!

Or perhaps this group includes the sellouts who yesterday shouted for Iran on the streets of Europe and today, thinking they’ll appear pure and virtuous after the fall of the regime, carry the Palestinian flag as they perform. But dear friends, it’s time to drop these hypocritical acts. The pickles and lemon juice have lost their effect; your exam is over, and the results are in! You can now return to Iran, bring back your beloved dried herbs and fruit leathers as souvenirs, and no one will bother you! From the start, no one cared because you had so deeply committed to your role. Just please, let this tiresome show come to an end!

I feel for those Iranians who sell their own nation for the sake of another. The day will come when they realize that no one in this world will shed a tear for them; not Palestinians, not Arabs, and certainly no one else. Perhaps it’s time to stop running for others and start thinking of your own home!

Written on September 28, 2024
Ehsan Tarinia - Luxembourg

..........................

Response to a Reader’s Comment:

Comment: The Islamic Republic’s manipulation of the Palestine issue has transformed what was once a symbol of regional solidarity into a source of hysterical reactions in Iran, leading many to repeat, “Why should the Palestinian conflict be our problem?”
But Palestine is indeed our issue, because the Islamic Republic is a regional regime, and a revolution against it cannot remain only internal; we need progressive allies across the region in this struggle. Palestine is our concern because, contrary to the claim that “our money has gone to others,” it is actually the people of Palestine, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon who should hold us accountable for allowing “our money” to oppress them. Why should they pay for the cost of Iran’s inability to rise? Palestine is our concern because, just as Judaism isn’t synonymous with Zionism, Hamas isn’t Palestine.
Liberation from Islamic fundamentalism in the region won’t happen without liberation from the Jewish fundamentalism that has taken root in Palestine for seventy years. Despite their seeming antagonism, these two forces have deep historical ties and a mutually reinforcing influence—both are misogynistic, child-killing, regressive, and war-mongering. In the complex web of regional interests and rivalries, it’s in this perspective that the slogan “Women, Life, Freedom” in Iran is as connected to women’s rights in Afghanistan as it is to the right for “Land, Life, Freedom” in Palestine or Kurdistan. In a revolutionary vision, one can’t truly achieve one without acknowledging the other.

Response: There are important perspectives in this comment, which offer a regional and historical look at the Palestinian issue and underscore the importance of solidarity in the Middle East. However, these arguments need closer examination, as they rest on several flawed assumptions that deserve serious scrutiny.

1. Is Palestine really our issue? The phrase "Palestine is our issue" draws directly from the propaganda of the Islamic Republic, which has long used it to justify aggressive foreign policies and military influence in the region. This approach disregards Iran’s domestic priorities, pushing critical economic, social, and human rights issues to the sidelines. The Iranian people, who fight for survival and basic rights, should not be paying for the government’s regional ambitions.

2. Peace with Israel would benefit Iran! While the Islamic Republic imposes enmity toward Israel in the name of supporting Palestine, peace and cooperation with Israel would, in fact, be beneficial for Iranians. This imposed anti-Semitism is not an Iranian sentiment but rather stems from the ruling Islamic ideologues who aim to stoke religious and ethnic conflicts. Iran and Israel, as two major powers in the region, could, instead of being adversaries, achieve growth through peaceful and economic partnerships. The endless hostility nurtured by the Islamic Republic only serves to prolong its life at the expense of the Iranian people.

3. Selective compassion for Palestine and Lebanon? The notion that “the Palestinian and Lebanese people should hold us accountable” is unrealistic and misguided. Why do these so-called human rights advocates focus solely on Palestine and Lebanon? Are the people suffering in Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, and other war-torn nations any less human? Such selective compassion is, in fact, hypocritical. If you truly support human rights, why aren’t you advocating for those suffering in Yemen or Ukraine?

4. A regional revolution? The idea that “a revolution against the regional Islamic Republic regime cannot be only domestic” is a fantasy. The Iranian people, who have faced immense economic hardship, poverty, oppression, and discrimination, should not bear the burden of revolutions in other nations. Iran’s own people are struggling to liberate themselves from a regime that uses national resources to fund proxy groups in other countries rather than domestic welfare. Iran’s revolution must be for Iranians, not for the Islamic Republic’s proxy wars.

5. Who owes whom? The notion that Palestinians or Lebanese should hold Iranians accountable is entirely backward and baseless. The Islamic Republic’s foreign policy has always been about its own interests, not the welfare of the Iranian people. Its military involvement in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq has harmed both Iranians and the people of those countries. In reality, the Iranian people have a right to demand answers from the regime for squandering their resources on these proxy wars. The Islamic Republic should answer for this misuse, not the people of Iran.

6. Liberation from Jewish fundamentalism? The notion of “liberation from Jewish fundamentalism” is yet another of the Islamic Republic’s tactics to shift focus toward external enemies. While the Islamic Republic itself is a symbol of Islamic fundamentalism, which oppresses women and minorities, it cannot credibly make such claims. The real enemy of the Iranian people is the Islamic fundamentalism embodied by the Islamic Republic, not some so-called Jewish fundamentalism. This sort of religious scapegoating only deepens conflicts and perpetuates endless wars in the region.

7. Islamic and Arab influence in Iran? One of the Islamic Republic’s most damaging impositions on Iranians has been Islamic extremism and Arab-centric policies in both foreign and domestic affairs. Not only has this approach eroded Iranian national identity, but it has also destroyed economic and social resources. Iran, a country with a rich culture and ancient civilization, is under the control of an Arab-centric ideology that both suppresses and humiliates Iranian identity. This extremist Islamism has inflicted harm on Iran both from within and from without.

Ultimately, it’s time for Iranians to prioritize their own country’s welfare over other nations’ interests and to recognize that the Islamic Republic’s constant enemy creation in the Middle East serves only its own survival. Iranians must seek an independent future focused on national interests and prosperity, free from entanglement in regional conflicts.

Ehsan Tarinia - Luxembourg