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We begin tonight’s edition of A Window to the Fatherland with Dr. Alireza Nourizadeh reading one of his poems from the book of his collected works.
Dr. Alireza Nourizadeh:
We continue the program with updating our audience with some of the latest news stories about Iran and then talk to our special guest of every Thursday, Dr. Mohsen Sazegara, who would share with us his expert opinion about these news stories.
Dr. Alireza Nourizadeh:
The most important current news of Iran seems to be the continued nationwide strike by the truck drivers. Do you think if the regime bribes them this protest action will end?
Dr. Mohsen Sazegara:
All industrial actions and strikes in the world have always been based on three principles. They are nationwide protests, including street demonstrations, writing slogans on the walls, and work to rule. The second characteristic of a nationwide protest action is civil disobedience and refusing to cooperate with authorities. No industrial action has ever succeeded without boycotting and challenging the state’s laws and order. The moment that a regime begins to crack down on its own powerbases that is the beginning of the end of that regime.
It is extremely important for any civil rights movement to have the backing of the working classes and the middle classes must do their best to include the demands of the working classes in their struggle for freedom and democracy.
In return, the working class will have to paralyze the state’s lifelines such as the oil and gas industries and power supplies and utilities.
So far more than 100 Iranian cities have joined this nationwide truck drivers strike which means almost a quarter of the country is at standstill.
I believe the truck drivers have every right to show their protest as the cost of petrol and spare parts have risen by 30 percent while their charges have remained static for the last four years.
Dr. Alireza Nourizadeh:
We are facing a regime that is embroiled in corruption and thefts by its officials and now a new dimension of its corrupt nature has emerged by the news of a head teacher having been found guilty of sexual abuse of his students. And Khamenei has asked for his execution while his own Koran reciter is a convicted paedophile and is free.
Dr. Mohsen Sazegara:
When Khamenei hypocritically rejected the UNESCO’s 2030 document and claimed that it is in contrast to his “Islamic values”, he was stupid enough not to understand that the document promoted sex education for young people so they will not become victims of sexual harassment or rape. This sad story that has now rocked Iran is a direct consequence of Khamenei’s and his regime’s reactionary policies as they are a totalitarian regime that even decides what people should eat, wear, listen to and think about.
Dr. Alireza Nourizadeh:
What do you think of the recent Russian stances over Iran’s regional policies?
Dr. Mohsen Sazegara:
The number of political and military defeats that have been inflicted upon the Iranian regime in recent weeks has been unprecedented during the last four decades.
Whichever way the regime turns it faces a new defeat and crisis and it now includes the departure of the Russian oil giant Lukoil from the Iranian markets.
