Hope and fear in Iran

Editorial

The situation in Iran evokes hope and fear. The people of Iran, in standing up to the theocratic terror of their government, have given hope that even the most entrenched, merciless regime might be forced to bend in the face of popular pressure.

It also creates fear of a Tiananmen-type crackdown which, given the effective manner in which the regime has closed off media reporting and most outside contact, may, for all we know, already be underway. Moreover, instability of any sort invariably creates unforeseen consequences, particularly in a region as volatile as this.

Canadians, particularly those of Iranian descent, have vocally supported the protesters and condemned the crackdown.

The question that remains largely unanswered is if the protests were successful, what would that look like? On the face of it, the protests are merely calling for genuinely free elections, the apparent rigging of the recent presidential vote results being the spark to this unrest.

But would new elections bring better relations with the West? Is Mir-Hossein Mousavi, the reformist candidate, a reformist in any sense that a Canadian would recognize? Would a new government alter the country's genocidal path to nuclear capability?

The "free world" seems unanimous that Iran cannot be permitted to develop nuclear weapons, though it seems the regime's number one target – Israel – is the only country genuinely exercised about the possibility. How Iran will be prevented from realizing this nightmare scenario is itself a terrifying scenario, with potential catastrophe for innocent Iranian people.

The instability in Iran is a hopeful sign that the people there will take up the voice of reason that was long ago abandoned by their government. It is a desperate hope.

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