Reflections on Iran and Its Mullaocracy: Why the People Cry “God is Great ” Each Night

Since the Presidential election and the consequent coup d’etat done by the military and Ahmadinejad with the knowledge of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei and the Guardian Council (it has come to light that this was planned back in 2005), there has been turmoil on the streets of Iran, which in turn has led to the brutal crushing of the people, including the murder Neda Soltan and the latest to die Ashkan Sohobri (age 19). Initially Neda’s age was reported as 16 but it turns out that she was 27 and rather than being with her father, she was accompanied by her music teacher. We do not know the exact numbers that have died because the official figure is falsified. I believe that the figure is over 200 dead rather than the reported 17, plus the 8 Basij who died in the fire at a mosque.

Trying to understand why the people are being crushed in this way has made me realize that when people attempt to rule like tyrants they think of themselves as being God or even higher than God. This explains why a senior mullah by the name of Ahmad Khatami (not to be confused with the reformer) and another senior cleric have been making utterances about severe punishment (death by hanging or some other torturous means as only the Iranian regime could devise) for those who have participated in these protests as though they have been protesting against God. It is this statement about actions against God which made me realize that there is a connection to the ancient regimes (including ancient Rome) where the emperor or pharoah or king was considered to be a god and therefore everyone must pay homage or pay the penalty in death.

The Old Testament provides evidence of the tenacity of some of the Jewish people who refused to pay homage to these kings – the Book of Daniel contains the story of one such person and his companions, who refused to pay homage to Darius the king of Babylon. The punishment was being placed in the furnace, and the king was amazed when Daniel survived the fire. In ancient Rome the early Christians came to the notice of the emperor because they refused to sacrifice to him as a god. This was considered to be treason by the emperor and thus the early Christians were thrown to the lions in the coloseum and endured other punishments.

I think that it helps to have this background to in part explain why the people in Iran have been taking to the rooftops at night shouting out “God is great, there is no one else but God”. This is being directly at Ayatollah Khamenei, as well as Ahmadinejad. The people did the same thing during the 1979 revolution, and back then it was directed at the deposed Shah of Iran. When the Shah was deposed the people got the mullahocracy instead. The vision of Khomanei is the current structure of an unelected Guardian Council with a Supreme Leader. The President is answerable to the Supreme Leader – like a puppet. In this way it looks like there is civilian control over Iran but the real power is in the hands of Ayatollah Khamenei. Thus the people also shout “death to the dictator” and they also shout “death to Khamenei” – something that had been almost unthinkable.