| " Frankly, what do you think of the situation in Iran ?
Don't be afraid to shock me". I new that I could freely answer my Iranian friend's question. We had known each other for a few days already and a trust reationship had dominated. On top of this, he had spent two years of his life abroad and he had teamed up with Westeners quite a bit. He could more easily understand the ideas that occurred to me about Iran at the second week of my journey. What is your idea about Iran ? Starting with the great hospitability of Iranians, I then talked about the status of women, which highly shocked me, not only because they have to cover their head in public, but also because their voice accounts for half of that of a man's in court.
 While listenning carrefully, my Iranian friend (who asked me to call him Shaheen for this report, a nickname meaning "eagle") was reacting to what I was saying with a gaze reflecting a feeling of anger that he had refrained for a long while… and I knew that he was sharing my revolt.
Iran is a religious dictatorship that has codified the life of its inhabitants down to the dressing code by bringing forward religious principles. The vast majority of its people would like more freedom and authonomy and if the Power ever made a concession, it would be dragged in a liberal trap and would disappear. Forcing the population to wear the veil is a means for the Power to assert its daily impact.
I nodded and told him how the Mollahs (kind of Muslim officials, employed by the regime to enforce abidence to Islamic rules) had stopped in the street to ask my girlfriend who prentended to be my wife so as not to shock) to wear the veil in a 'decent manner', that is to say by covering her neck on top of her hair. Upon hearing my story, Shaheen dropped his tea and shook his fist. "You see, he said, the veil is only a detail but it is the most visible. People focuss on their outlook without even thinking about other liberties. He added with conviction "If I could get rid of the Mollahs"… - But how come such a dictatorship appeared and developped, I asked ?
- When Khomeyni came into power, close to 200 intellectuals were killed, as well as numerous political and civilian figures able to gather an opposition. This process was fostered by restriction of liberties and martial law due to the Iran-Irak war, as well as the denounciation of people's enemies, the United States and Israel, to better bring the people together and exclude opponents. Mock democracy, he added, is a big thing in this country.
But wasn't Khomeyni elected by the people, I replied ? He sneered back."The structure of the power is corrupted. In Iran, the choice of the people does not account as only the spiritual leader (Khameyni), steming from the Mollahs, can block the weak powers granted to the President, thanks to two organs which only depend on him, directly or indirectly, that is to say, the Council of the guardians of the Revolution and all the judiciary power.
Khomeyni tried to liberalise the press, but the judges have the last word and jail those who dare critizise the regime too openly.
Shaheen added : " Freedom of the press does not exist because the basics of our society and of our laws cannot be questionned, namely the constitutionnal laws and Islamic principles, Islam as interpreted by the Mollahs, as well as the two most important figures (the spiritual Leader and the President).  - "You must feel so lonely here, I said to Shaheen. Why are you the only one explaining me this, while a lot of young people get by, saying that they do not like the government, without going further? As for the veil, the young I have met so far no more talk about dictatorship but about a 'a distinction funded on culture and religious inheritage'. The only ones who critizise it do not link it up with the authoritarianism of the regime.
" Gosh ! ", Shaheen snapped back, see, all this is passivity and a reak lack of critical sense. 'Their culture and religious inheritage'… what do they know about it ? This is blatant evidence that they have interiorised the propaganda that has been inculcated to them ever since they were young. That is how there can be 'organised demonstrations against the government' against Israel and the United States, with portraits of Khomeyni, Khameyni and Khatamy visible everywhere in the street and in the houses, just like during the Soviet ditatorships and the army-backed regimes of Thirld World Countries.
The real sense of criticism of the young has faded out because the latter focuss on challenging mock laws, such as wearing the veil to one fourth of the hair, drinking alcool from time to time, and dancing secretly on Western musics. You see, stressed my Iranian friend, the regime has succeedded; they don't even see that they life in dictatorship. The most critical are easily repressed as they are nothing but a minority" he said, hinting at the worries that had caused him his years as an agitating student and the beginning of his career as a young doctor. In the background noise of the grand bazar, Shaheen was continuing his revelations, while wishing he was not part of a minority. "As long as the young concentrate on things like these, thre will be no significant change. Were need people ready to take action.
I don't want to hear that democracy needs learning and that it has taken three centuries to Western countries to reach their current maturity. Iran used to be a democracy even before Khomeyni, in spite of the Shash's authoritarianism which remained in the high political sphere, without affecting citiizens. Ismamists have ruined the country. It does not possess any worldwide influence any more whereas its population, oil and geographical position could give it the weight of a Great Power." Shaheen resumed after a thoughtful gaze in direction of a street water seller: "I don't want to hear either that the only way to make things evolve is to Westernize the population. Iranians are not animals which should imitate Westerners to become men. I am fed up with all these foreign observers and journalists who enthousiastically describe that yes, Iranians do not always wear the veil, that they can smoke and dance secretely. The situation is not so simple."  While avoiding the eavesdroppers that had gathered around upon hearing English, he added in a sure voice : " We have a solid culture and a high potential for developpement… ruined by the current situation. What we need is people ready to take action and unite. Three hundred men detainning the keys of power cannot enslave a people of 70 Millions."
When I ask him if he would like to leave his country to live in a place where he would feel freer, Shaheen replies with thoughtful and hopeful eyes. "No, I am not like those who apply for asylum and give up their nationality. I am proud of being Iranian and I want to contribute to make the day come when the young get together so that this country should experience freedom again". And he whispered, "if I could ever publish an article in foreing newspapers…" On the verge of leaving me, Shaheen shakes my hand in a very particular way while insisting: "I would like you to finish this article writing that I am confident that one day, the situation will explode from inside. Then, Iranians will be able to live in a climate of freedom." With hommage Dominique
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