by Ramin Mazaheri and cross-posted with PressTV
At 42 years the Iranian Islamic Revolution has endured so long that it has seen the reactionary force which rose to counter it – Reaganism – partially defeated by a new faction: Trumpism.
With the return to power – via Joe Biden – of the three decade-long Clintonista ideology Iran hasn’t lasted so very long as to witness a total sea change in US politics, but revolutionary Iran continues to vex, undermine and even defeat mighty Washington precisely because of a key pillar of the Islamic Republic: anti-imperialism.
It’s difficult for me to take Biden and his supporters seriously because even though they claim to represent a progressive leap forward politically one never hears them utter the phrase “anti-imperialism”. In fact, nowhere in US mainstream discourse is this phrase ever heard, and that should be very telling about the true nature of the political factions here.
Anti-imperialism. Indeed, it is a complete sentence. It is a definitive answer to so many questions and problems.
It’s so big that even Wikipedia’s scant page on anti-imperialism relates how it has five different axes: “the moral, the economic, the systemic, the cultural and the temporal”. In one column I cannot discuss all five axes, but I can relate how the phrase is never discussed in both polite and impolite American society. That’s worth repeating because the US is so very aggressive militarily, still.
The single greatest cardinal sin in politics is to attack another country, so from a political point of view the dominant concept behind “anti-imperialism” is an anti-war stance: To be anti-imperialist is to be pro-peace. Therefore, in its political sense “anti-imperialism” is a phrase which implies an inherently internationalist viewpoint which sees weaker – or maybe just less warlike – countries bound together against any colonising aggressor.
The sad reality is that “anti-imperialism” is not what it used to be.
As I have often related, an accurate analysis of modern human history is that precisely as Iran emerged victorious from the Western-orchestrated War of Holy Defense (also referred to as the Iran-Iraq War) the global anti-imperialist struggle completely collapsed, due to the fall of the USSR and Europe’s Eastern Bloc.
Almost universally anti-imperialism had a crisis of intellectual confidence. This even allowed Western pro-imperialists to insist that Iran was in a laughable condition: it went from being a revolutionary country to an outdated country almost overnight! The sad, but partial, truth of this historical era is not widely understood even in 2021.
It’s an important rejoinder that Iran’s revolutionary mix of anti-imperialism, state economic management and a modern, late-20th century political structure mixed with the revolutionary addition of clerical democratic inclusion has also still not been fully understood by most non-Iranians on both the left and the right.
But for pro-imperialists understanding was not necessary because in 1992 they infamously, abruptly and arrogantly declared the “end of history”, and that anti-imperialism had permanently lost. This explains Washington’s philosophy towards Iran for the last 30 years: waste time – and make things as difficult as possible via illegal and murderous sanctions – until Iran catches up with “history”. Or to put it in the exact terms used today by the Biden administration, which is struggling to gain domestic legitimacy after a deeply-disputed election: wait for Iran to accept “reality” (a “reality” defined by pro-imperialists, of course).
After 42 years Iran is still waiting for many to understand the political and economic modernity of its culture, but most with open eyes have at least partially come to understand Iran thanks to its actions. They see that Iran is consistently a top 10 country in the acceptance of refugees; they see that Iran puts its best and most beloved, like Qasem Soleimani, in harm’s way in foreign nations in order to aid their struggles; they see that Iran supports righteous Sunni countries like Palestine; they see that Iran takes major and daring risks to send help to Latino countries like Venezuela; they see that Iran followed all the rules of the JCPOA pact on Iran’s nuclear energy program even when Western signatories did not.
Anyone with open eyes sees that Iran is an internationalist country, an anti-imperialist fighter, a peacemaker and a supporter of righteous global cooperation. Anyone with a modicum of imagination has also wondered just how very successful Iran could be and would have been – with their natural and human resources, and with the exact system they have had in place for 42 years – if the West would end its decades of imperialist blockades on Iran.
In the modern digital age – dominated by Western corporations who undoubtedly support pro-imperialist ideologies – eyes are not allowed to be opened, sadly. The pen is not mightier than the sword of deplatforming, censorship and endless Western propaganda.
And yet anti-imperialism remains an ever-powerful sword, because defense of one’s home and sovereignty is always legitimate.
In the post-1991 world who has wielded this sword more than Iran? This is not mere boasting, and proof of humility can be shown by quickly recounting the history of modern anti-imperialist struggles:
Only a know-nothing would say that the USSR, with its 25 million martyrs, didn’t primarily defeat German imperialism. China gave so very much to protect Korea from American invasion, but not as much as North Koreans gave, of course. The sacrifices of the Vietnamese were the most globally galvanising anti-imperialist force in the 20th century – who could ever forget that? Ending South African Apartheid can never be forgotten, but Western media certainly does obscure the role played by Cuban soldiers in repelling attacks from the Western-backed South African Defense Force, which ultimately resulted in the discrediting of the entire South African system and led to the freedom of Angola and modern-day Namibia. And who can forget when Algiers was the “Mecca of revolutionaries”, following the victory of its incredibly inspiring anti-imperialist struggle which overturned 132 years of Algeria “being France”?
Yet Iran’s contributions to the global and supremely humane anti-imperialist movement have been easily obscured by the West’s post-2001 state-sponsored ideology: Islamophobia.
Islamophobia was a very good ideology for pro-imperialists to promote because it has no troublesome economic or class components – it is mere xenophobia. Islamophobia explains why even the few committed Western anti-imperialists so often dismiss Iran’s anti-imperialism with a dismissive wave of their hand: they feel that because of the presence of the religion of Islam Iran is too difficult to even be understood. Sadly, Western pro-imperialists – via the promotion of Islamophobia – have won in many areas for decades.
Iran is concerned with Islam, of course, but Islam differs from Christianity in that there is no possibility for forced conversion, for proselytising monks or nuns or for the forcing of faith on others. Islam, from a political, economic and geopolitical perspective, is simply an insufficient tool with which to define all of modern Iran (believing that it is sufficient is Islamophobic, of course).
Because anti-imperialism cannot die as long as countries are conquered and colonised (openly or via puppets), it must have a center somewhere, no?
It’s laughable to say that the centre of the anti-imperialist movement in 2021 – which began in politics with Lenin and his critiques of Western-style capitalism – could be located anywhere in the United States. Or in Western Europe, for that matter.
I think it is perhaps fair to say the centre in 2021 is in Iran.
If that seems strange to your ears: Isn’t it true that Western Islamophobia has made modern Iran seem to be totally inscrutable, or even not even worth serious analysis? At the very same time, hasn’t the huge reductions in the anti-imperialist movement – which was a global cultural force for nearly a century – made Iran even more atypical? Is Iran so hard to place on the global and historical political spectrums because it is so very revolutionary, or is it that many simply don’t make the effort to accurately understand it’s structures, ideals and actions?
After 42 years Iran’s actions are clear, even if – to some – their motivations and methods are not yet comprehended.
There are other established anti-imperialist nations, as I have noted, and I am not accusing them of resting on their laurels – I simply note here that since 1979 Iran has undoubtedly joined their company in the history of modern mankind. Given the importance of anti-imperialism in establishing global peace, goodwill and cooperation – who wouldn’t thank God for that?
(Ramin Mazaheri (@RaminMazaheri2) is currently covering the US election. He is the chief correspondent in Paris for Press TV and has lived in France since 2009. He has been a daily newspaper reporter in the US, and has reported from Iran, Cuba, Egypt, Tunisia, South Korea, and elsewhere. He is the author of ‘Socialism’s Ignored Success: Iranian Islamic Socialism’ as well as ‘I’ll Ruin Everything You Are: Ending Western Propaganda on Red China,’ which is also available in simplified and traditional Chinese.)
Let’s call a spade a spade Ramin, and recognize that imperialism = terrorism. With the small caveat that since the imperialist gets to define exactly who is and who is not labeled a terrorist, they themselves are defined as not. It’s good to be the King! Or something like that. Laws are for the little people.
“but Islam differs from Christianity in that there is no possibility for forced conversion, for proselytising monks or nuns or for the forcing of faith on others.”
An egregious falsehood! How about the millions of Orthodox Christians who suffered under the predatory and sadistic aggression of Imperialist Islam? Those that endured rape, enslavement of children and brutal impalement, at the hands of invaders, rather than convert to the benevolent religion.
Perhaps it would be wise to build bridges with others, who have historically suffered far greater atrocities and aggression, from Western Christianity. Rather than falsely decrying your supreme martyrdom and victim hood.
Sadly, these kind of chest thumping articles, riddled with bombastic proclamations of superiority, and absolutely disproven self- aggrandizing assertions, has led to a bevy of hate trolls who deny reality, and quickly defend the empire’s machinations and western propaganda, when it exposes their “peoples” complicity and pitiful hypocrisy. Just as duplicitous as the raving Zionists and Vatican defenders who rather than accept incontrovertible truths, accusing others of their own sins.
I pray for the chance to read the words of the wise and inspirational Sheikh Imran Hosein, again, here at the vineyard. A unifier to all those who have suffered and fight for a better existence. His message of peace and the restoration of historical truth, is badly needed here.
You completely confusing the imperialist Ottoman empire with the historical experiences of the many other Muslims nations and cultures.
Next you’ll say that China is an imperialist culture, which is false, too.
The idea that Orthodox Christians have “historically suffered far greater atrocities and aggression” at the hands of Muslims than Muslims have suffered during 2+ centuries of Western imperialism is supported by nobody.
A good article – full of logic, humility and certainly not “chest-thumping”.
Couldnt we say there is “some problems” in Islam? I mean we have honour killings, we have Shiite public blood rituals, we have head chopping in Saudi plus Turkey’s eager support of Salafism and more.
I myself admire much Islamic culture honour code a.s.o., but let us be honest.
Im doubt about the article’s main theme: Iran’s anti-Imperialism. Rouhani sits as President because of a deal with US/UK/Israel and rumours says Soleimani’s and PMU Leaders death was another “deal” Rouhani made with US/UK/Israel. The new PM in Iraq is said to be a CIA man also made in a “deal” with Rouhani.
The top in Iran government are mostly educated in UK or US, only Khamenei is almost native.
I wouldnt be surprised if we see Iran jumping around with green clima change bonds, sustainability, minority rights and the global reset in the near future……. against release of new IMF usury loans.
Note how calm Venezuela became after they agreed into a e-currency scheme experiment.
Dear Sir,
I guess reading comprehension is a tricky thing for some. If you’re going to make accusatory remarks at least comment correctly on what was written and please do not ascribe words to others.
You wrote:
“You completely confusing the imperialist Ottoman Empire with the historical experiences of the many other Muslims nations and cultures.”
What? I did no such thing. I disputed the author’s patently false statement that Islam would never force conversion or force their faith on others. I provided a well documented historical example which unequivocally dispels the author’s statement. If you’re going to make absolute statements, you better not omit centuries of proof which destroys such fallacies.
You wrote:
“The idea that Orthodox Christians have “historically suffered far greater atrocities and aggression” at the hands of Muslims than Muslims have suffered during 2+ centuries of Western imperialism is supported by nobody.”
I wrote that Orthodox Christians have historically suffered far great atrocities and aggression from Western Christianity, not Islam. Let me repeat, Not Islam! No one postulated such an “idea” as you describe . Btw, “Supported by nobody” hardly validates your evidence free argument. Even though no one even suggested such an idea.
Good day
a sad truth is that we orthodox christians lost our empire first to corruption in our own upper class and only afterwards to invasion. the ottoman regime was a mixed bag- they werent particularly harsh against christians per se, but they were by and large every bit as corrupt as the byzantine ruling class after the middle of the 11th century on. still, i would prefer to live under the ottoman enpire than under the modern day atheist empire of machines!
the biggest by far distinction is exactly that – all those historical situations were ultimately human cultures and largely soceties of humans who believed in something greater than themselves. today it’s an empire of machines, puffed up with egomaniacal hubris that they have become gods, drunk on power, and sick with a psychosis of domination and constant reassurance of their superior power, forever pushing further and further to keep dominating to be sure theyre still in charge.
even iran, which 40 years ago did clean house and get back to basics with a genuine religious revival, is in danger of becoming yet another empire of machines nowadays. i’d rather live as a christian under a truly religious islamic state, than under an atheist machine tyranny.
@supported by nobody
Sorry, supported by unbiased history.
Amen
I too stumbled at this sentence
Epithet: “an adjective or phrase expressing a quality or attribute regarded as characteristic of the person or thing mentioned”!
As the proverbial saying goes, Know them by the adjectives, they use: millions, suffered, rape, enslavement, endured, impalement and lets not forget children for a good measure! No propaganda is worth the spit unless it somehow tells the tale of the suffering of the children!
Now lets look at “the other”: egregious falsehood, atrocities, predatory, sadistic, aggression, Imperialist, invaders, victim hood, chest thumping, riddled, bombastic, superiority, disproven, self- aggrandizing assertions, hate, propaganda, complicity, pitiful, hypocrisy …….!
And to wash it all down, lets not forget to finish it all with hope and understanding: I pray for ……..!
Who are you trying so hard to convince? One of the first things they taught us in journalism school was actually to avoid too many adjectives!
Allow me a second to puke before I go on!
Regardless of the scale of time, it is a matter of fact that compared to just the last 100 years and still ongoing of plunder and genocide by the hands of you good christians resulting in the murder on more than 170 000 000 people, the entire history of death and destruction by man throughout history is just a drop in the wast ocean of blood dripping from the hands of you christloving dogooders! Not to mention the paradise on earth, where ever the orthodox may live! The orthodox tsarist Russia must be adapted by any sane human being as the measure of goodness itself! Not to mention the orthodox communist block! Behold! All goodness, nothing else to see here!
Let me cry a river for the poor Orthodox christians who hand in hand with the british killed 9 000 000 of my people in Iran between the first and second world wars, which they initiated! And unlike the hoax perpetuated by the zionists, we literally have the western statistics to prove the crime!
When I was a little boy my mother didn’t read me HC Andersen stories. She told me the stories of the great famine, and for years I had nightmares about the slow genocide of 9 000 000 of our people. Funny how memory works; it took me 50 years to realize, that unconsciously it was these childhood stories, that my mother told me as a child, that is the reason why I became a prepper!
What was our crime? Funny enough while the socalled muslim ottoman rulers drunken on Christian wine were killing you good, really good, really, christians, it was us shia who opened the doors to our country to the Armenians and saved their lives! Not that they were the only orthodox christians, we have saved in our history. It even includes the jews too! But to know that you Epithet have to actually stop getting your world view from the Zionist tv and actually read a book!
They say the best offense is a bad defense and hasbara have turned it into a teamwork! One comes at you with full force for you to swallow the “moderate” attack! The proof becomes whatever the other hasbara postulates, who cares about the intellectual ability to differenciate between Islam and history of the socalled muslim countries. Even then we all know, that when a Christian is killed by these animals dressed in human skin, they have been trained, armed and paid for by western money! If death and destruction is the measure, nobody in the history of mankind can compare to you, not even to the short era of your communist rulers.
It is understandable why you prefer the like of sheik Imran. After all he speaks the truth, that your orthodox heart desires. But if anything he is a victim of his own ego. It is funny though, how he has made a youtube name for himself talking about the end times. The funny part is him being a Sunni! It is just like a pagan trying to describe the sacrament!
If you try hard enough, you can convince yourself of anything, even your own ….!
@Minute
I love your commentaries, never said it before but it’s true, many thanks your words enlighten.
Thank you for your kind words Chimalmat. I thank you for your time.
With regards
“It’s difficult for me to take Biden and his supporters seriously because even though they claim to represent a progressive leap forward politically one never hears them utter the phrase ‘anti-imperialism.'”
After four years of Trump, in which he proceeded to kill the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), murder General Soleimani, and do everything in his power to provoke Iran with brutal sanctions and covert attacks, it’s hard for me to believe that you really think Biden will do more of the same. My guess is that while he’ll have to do the little dance to placate US “dual-citizens” and Zionists like Obama did, most likely he’ll find some way to reenact the JCPOA and normalize relations with Iran. That, of course, will totally piss off Bibi Netanyahu and might drive him to stage a redo of 9/11, this time blamed on Iran instead of the Arabs, but that’s the chance you take with the “chosen ones” who are the original imperialists on the planet.
Your are discussing minor variations in imperial dogma.
Biden’s slate of foreign policy appointments guarantees reasserting a more virulent form of imperialism that reigned prior to Trump, who was the first since President Ford not to actually start a new conflict, no matter how much he bumbled about in the Mid-East at the behest of his Zionist son-in-law.
Guess you weren’t paying attention when Biden ended US support for Saudi genocide in Yemen yesterday. Mohammed bin Salman was Trumps best buddy. They stroked the king’s orb together.
Tommy, Tommy, Tommy… I’m really surprised you’ve been so taken in by the Dem “lesser of two evils” mythology. And I think you grant Israel too much independent agency in the equation as well. The Zionists have fully infiltrated the USA power structure, including the responsibility for 9/11 and everything that’s gone on since. Netanyahu’s not out their swinging for the fences on his own. They pay their ideological lapdogs within the DC beltway handsomely to do that for them. Biden, to the extent that’s he’s aware at all, is fully aware of which way the Zionist masters’ wind blows. He’s a well-compensated lap dog and nothing more. Built his entire career on it. Bad as Trump? Who knows? But terrible in his own right, and that’s plenty bad enough.
It’s always going to be the lesser of two evils in the USA. Tell me when it was any different? We just dodged a bullet, a Christian-Zionist bullet, when we turned out Trump, Pence, and especially Pompeo. It was part of their crazy end-times theology that the USA would attack Iran and bring on that transformative apocalyptic conflict that would be the end of the USA and the beginning of some kind of world theocracy. All the pieces were in place. Trump had already killed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and murdered General Soleimani. He just ran out of time, I guess, to bring it all down. Now, Biden plans to reinstate the JCPOA and he just pulled the rug out from Saudi genocide in Yemen. Can’t we be happy that we avoided WWIII for the moment? Be thankful for small mercies.
Irán y China están cambiando el mundo pero Israel es el que paradójicamente más daño le está haciendo al imperio minándolo desde dentro.
Yandex translation. Mod:
Iran and China are changing the world but Israel is paradoxically the one doing the most damage to the Empire by undermining it from within.
Congratulations to the government of Iran, for it’s support of the people in the war in Yemen. Iran’s support has proven critical to the peoples victory in Yemen. Biden has thrown in the towel. Now, is the time for Iran to find its new Suliemani for Yemen. Play your cards well Iran.
I’m all in for anti-imperialism – and the greatest empire that needs to fall now is the Anglo-American empire. As a Canadian, I live inside the empire as Canada is a significant part of the whole network.
Thanks Ramin.
What is Imperialism? Who used this term for the firs time?
1870’s this imperialism term is used positively by British statesmen ( Parliament, specially by prime minster, Benjamin Disraeli) and propagandist and Victorian imperial army , as they claimed that they had mission to civilize the other nations in Asia and Africa and America.
But for the first time , J. A. Hobson a British journalist, who was a war corespondent for Boer War in Africa, who had seen war atrocities, analyzed truly the characteristics and nature of imperialism, and showed economical, political, financial, militaristic, racial, immoralities, corruptions, and destructive effects to to society, to the nation ( especially to Britain own society) . His articles about Imperialism appeared and circulated in 1900 in British papers and magazines, then his book titled “Imperialism, a study” was publish in 1902, a revised print appeared in 1905 with a lot of economical and financial tables of data and statistics.
Lenin has translated parts of Hobson book to Russian language in early 1910’s. Lenin wrote about Hobson book in some letters to his mother with excitement.
Then Lenin published his own book titled “ Imperialism the Highest Stage of Capitalism” in the eve of Bolshevik revolution on 1917. Lenin book has kept structural analysis of Hobson book, but added a lot of contradictory Marxist ideological ingredients. Lenin has extended Marx historical stages of evolution of social formation slavery-feudalism-capitalism-socialism. He devised the productive forces grows in capitalism to highest level and evolves to imperialism, then it is ripe to cross to socialism. Hobson did not see any positive feature in imperialism. From Hobson eye, imperialism is the plunderer, corrupter, occupier, Jewish financier, stock market speculator, war monger, monopolizer, invader, domestic industry destroyer, overseas adventurer. While Lenin used the structure of Hobson book, but he never mentioned about the corruptions, stock manipulation, Jews. Leninist theorized that the growth of productive forces in capitalism leads to monopolies and the new name of monopolistic trust and concerns social formation is imperialism. And socialism will replace imperialism This was an obvious appropriation of Hobson’s analysis to serve their new ideology package named Leninism.
Irony, is that, Iran single handed resisted imperialism, in every front, for 42 years but does not like officially pronounce the name of anti-imperialism. You do not hear/read the term imperialism or anti-imperialism in Farsi language publication and media from government officials. Instead they use an obscure Persian-zed Arabic word ” Estekbar ” means “arrogance”. What is their concern in using the world wide know term imperialism? That is sad story, to be the actual leader in the battle field, shed blood, scarify dear children, but do not accept the leadership role, do not speak the language that the followers to understand.
Ramin tell them, do not afraid in pronouncing correct “«Le nome de la nui” of the battle front. Tell them go to Hobson. Lenin era already elapsed.
Lenin did not make the sacred name, the sacred name was from Benjamin Disraeli. Then Hobson unveiled imperialism thirty years later, and showed the naked emperor, then Lenin and Leninist veiled the emperor for their own use.
You can see people like Mike Hudson is continuing Hobson works, now a days, they do not follow Lenin. They do not follow Marx.
arata
Your comment is very interesting. In his book on Iranian Islamic Socialism Ramin says: “Equal to Iranian hatred of hypocrisy is “arrogance”, which is used synonymously with “imperialism” in everyday Iranian political discourse: imperialists arrogantly believe that they know better than the conquered locals, after all”.
So Ramin appears to be explaining Iranians’ use of their word for “arrogance” as a way of focusing attention on the oppressor’s attitude towards the oppressed, perhaps in the process calling to mind its opposite, “humility”. This would seem to make Iranians’ use of the word “arrogance” moral rather than political.
But if I have understood your comment correctly, you seem to be suggesting that Iranians are simply wishing to avoid Leninist connotations associated with the word “imperialism”.
It occurred to me that there may be something else, possibly also, at work here. As I understand it Iran, at least since the Mongol invasions, has never been subjected to imperial colonialism, unlike other countries in the Middle East. So I wonder if Iranians’ use of the substitute “arrogance” is a sort of sub-conscious distancing, a moral and ethical expression of disgust at the very notion of imperialism and an affirmation that they cannot and will not submit to it.
It would be interesting to hear Ramin’s thoughts on this.
Thank you for discussing Hobson’s writings. I wasn’t aware of them.
Best wishes.
Thank you Simon for your comment.
I have not read Ramin’s book. I was not aware that he has referred to Islamic word ” Estekbar” = Arrogance.
Iran revolution has a complicated bloody history. There were dozen organized political groups in revolution, almost all of them anti-imperialist, leftist, except two of them who linked to Soviet, and one of them later allied with Saddam, the rest were young energetic activist, without affiliation to foreign powers, with true revolutionary zeal. Leadership of the revolution, seized by clergies, which historically, for 2 millennia, are master of mass movement mobilization. Almost all of the groups have been crushed bloodily during the first decade of revolution, by the leadership of revolution. That is the sad story: “anti-imperialism” silenced into graves, and “Estekbar” remained. The leadership is ashamed to pay a visit to graves and appropriate the silent slogan from graveyards.
The problem is that “Arrogance” does not convey true meaning of imperialism. As Hobson lays down the definition of imperialism, however Lenin distorted the definition, it has numerous characteristics which were unprecedented before 1870. Then we have people like Samir Amin, who defined new characteristics of imperialism for 20 century, like monopolies of UN Security, Atomic energies, communication, insurance, aviation industries, education, etc.