Iran Iran is a proud nation with a long and varied history. It holds an important and strategic position in the Middle East, having benefited from the US led war against Iraq. It now has significant influence with the current governments of both Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a country with a complex system of government, but one where the unelected religious establishment has tight control of the elected parliament and president. Religious rule is vigorously enforced on a society which does not always agree with it. Iranians have enjoyed a long tradition of vigorous debate, with the right to free speech highly valued. Regrettably, the last three years has seen more determined and ruthless repression of public dissent, with anyone voicing criticism of the regime being arrested and detained on the grounds of ‘national security’. International concern continues to be expressed at Iran’s deteriorating record on human rights. The issue of whether or not Iran has been pursuing a programme to develop nuclear weapons, under the guise of peaceful nuclear energy developments, has engaged the international community for years. The world has watched uneasily as the threat of US military action against Iran has seemed ever more likely. The tension was deferred somewhat by the publication of the US military intelligence report in December 2007, suggesting that Iran had indeed stopped actively pursuing a nuclear weapons programme. Why would Iran wish to have a nuclear weapon in the first place? The first reason is that Iran has become increasingly powerful and influential in the region, particularly because of the Iraq war which has greatly benefited Iran. Secondly, Iran would wish to have the bomb to balance the situation with Israel’s possession of nuclear weapons and create a Mutually Assured Destruction principle in the Middle East, similar to that of Pakistan and India. Thirdly, although Iran’s borders have only been violated once, during the Iran-Iraq war, there is the belief that a nuclear weapon would act as a deterrent against any power which may seek to invade Iran. Finally, there is the wider geopolitical environment in which Iran finds itself, not only in relation to Israel, but also because of the proximity of Pakistan and the American military presence in the region. The perspective from Iran’s point of view is that it exists in a region in which Israel possesses a nuclear capability and it looks upon western powers that have themselves violated the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty. We believe strongly that a US military strike on key Iranian targets would have devastating consequences for the region and for world peace. It would be highly counter productive and lead to instability in the Middle East which would take many years to settle. For example, the risk of Iranian retaliation against Israel is a possibility and such a move could also further destabilise Iraq as Iranian backed insurgents in the country seek retaliation against the US. An attack by the US would also break international law since it is extremely unlikely that it would have been sanctioned by the United Nations. We would further strongly urge the UK government to do everything in its power to discourage the US government from undertaking any form of military strike against Iran and, should it ignore such advice, make clear its strong opposition to such a move. The lesson of the tragic events in Iraq, since that nation was illegally invaded five years ago, is that the use of military intervention to resolve a crisis rarely results in a positive outcome and usually makes a situation worse. The same is true of Iraq’s neighbour. It is our hope and prayer that such a terrible mistake will not be repeated. The Church of Scotland General Assembly has consistently opposed the proliferation of nuclear weapons and has called for nuclear disarmament. We do not believe that it is in the interests of the region for Iran, or any other state in the area, to develop a nuclear weapons capability. However, the position of the UK and US governments in particular is gravely weakened in relation to Iran when the UK seeks to renew Trident. We would argue that this failure to address their own plans for nuclear weapons expansion means that the UK and US governments are in a weak position to deal with Iran and that negotiations to address the Iranian nuclear weapons issue should continue to be led by the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency. It is all too easy to see the Iranian situation from a Western perspective and to fall into the simplistic view that Iran is an evil country, with dangerous ambitions, set against western governments and their quest to advance democracy in the region. The situation is much more complex. Many in the West fail to see beyond the stereotypical impression of Iran to the many different aspects about this country. There is the ordinary Iranian blogging online, the people’s love of dance and music shaped by its history, the intensity of political debates among ordinary people on the street, the 300 international awards to Iranian cinema over the past 25 years, the beautiful traditional teahouses and the Persian Gardens which were designed to reflect paradise on earth. While we deplore the Iranian authorities escalating human rights abuses, we cannot and must not demonise an entire nation. Iran is a mature state which has a part to play in the whole Middle East question and this must be recognised. It is time that western governments ceased to engage in rhetoric and actively engaged with Iran in a constructive manner. Equally, it is time that Iran ceased to play games with the West and explained precisely what its ambitions are in regard to nuclear energy. Iran’s future may lie not with negotiators in the West, or even its leadership, but with its people. Young Iranians make up an estimated 70% of their country’s population and many are frustrated with the way that the government is running their nation and are longing for change. Could it be that this young population in this ancient land may peacefully and constructively bring about the changes that Iran so desperately needs? Church and Society Council Church of Scotland 121 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4YN Phone: 0131 225 5722 www.churchofscotland.org.uk Charity Number: SC011353 May 2008 ?? ?? ?? ??