On the Technology Campaign Trail
posted Saturday April 11, 2009 under iran, nuclear-fuel-cycle by geoffrey_fordenIf you haven’t seen it yet, you should check out the “Video Tours of Iran’s Nuclear Facilities” available at the ISISnuclearIran website. I frankly didn’t find them as interesting as the similar in appearance videos of Iranian missile production facilities. Too much waving flag, not enough detail. (Though the ISIS analysis is, of course, always worth reading.) But this brings up an interesting question: what’s going on here? Why are “we” being bombarded by all these interesting videos? There is, of course, a natural tendency to believe that they are intended for “us” in the West and to search for geopolitical reasons for Iran to demonstrate its technological progress. I think this is why the State Department seems to have challenged the veracity of the Iranian nuclear claims. However, a more realistic explanation is local politics: the Iranian presidential elections in June. These videos are pushing national pride and there is an undercurrent of “these indigenous advances did not take place before the current administration” that seems, at least to me, to clearly come across, whether or not its true.
Blog Posts
Get E-mail Updates
Dear Geoffrey,
Things are really could be different. Somehow this kind of presentation of Iran’s new achivements is not a top-down procedure or something for power demonstration to west or even internal usage. With growing industrial improvements, scientists, engineers and etc gradually gain some power to examine their ideas in different fields, even in public affairs. This is something that ideological-poletical management body does not care about it. I need to remind that, IRI as theological system of government is not really interested in nationalism paradigm and always look at that as an opponent. Somewhere, some middle rank scientist or engineer offering to make a demonstration for public affairs and becomes able to convience other people on that, though always the idea finally mixed up with every thing, as the people all over the ladder add some of their favorite spices on it before it could be served.
— mhrd · Apr 11, 05:13 PM ·
Geoffrey,
The youtube description of the videos says they were obtained by NBC in 2005. Although the ISIS posted them this year, they may not be that recent.
— Michael · Apr 11, 09:35 PM ·
Your guess is 100% correct. It is near the election and Ahmadinejad’s team do everything they can from facts to lies to show they have had achievements. People are terribly unhappy of the economy. You might not believe but property prices including rentals (as opposed to US) have increased 100-200% in cities like Tehran. Transport has become 300%-400% more expensive during his 3.5 years.
Now with an inflation of around 30% (excluding properties market which was excluded by his team to show a lower inflation!, which is yet a record high value) the head of central bank, this week claimed, if the management team i.e. the government does not change the inflation rate will be brought to a single digit rate until the end of the year (something which has never happened from 25 years ago).
You just investigate nuclear and missile field. They are doing the same in every other field. This has been the most populist government ever in Iran and the one with the lowest ethics rate.
— Mac · Apr 12, 12:07 AM ·
Good point about the video, Michael. It was obviously a bad example of a “current” trend. However, President Ahmadinejad is still engaged in touting his administration’s contributions to Iran’s technological advances in what seems to be to be an obviously politically motivated campaign. In addition to the missile manufacturing videos, why would he choose now, as opposed to say last summer, to inaugurate the uranium enrichment plant?
— Geoff Forden · Apr 12, 07:58 AM ·
I’m not sure how much people really understand the mentality and psyche of the Persian people. I have unique look into their world, having married into it, and traveled there a number of times.
This has become a point of cultural pride. A distinction of international stature. Something that sets them apart from others, not just in the middle east, but the world.
Last time I was there, I was at a large wedding party. Someone from the groom’s side came up to me, a college professor, he had heard there was an American around and sought me out (a common occurrence when I am there). After pleasantries and introductions, he first asked me if I had heard anything about the nuclear issue. We briefly talked of the news, and my readings – I tend to stay a little better informed then the general public – and then he made this comment, “We can’t rely on oil forever, we are not the one-trick-dogs like the Arabs, we need to expand, become part of the modern world. We are Persian! This is not the third world.”
This is a proud people. When they are told to stop the nuclear process, many there hear “We don’t want you in the club of advanced countries, stay in your place below us.”
I believe there is a group that wants weapons, but they have little backing. The general population doesn’t want them and the truly religious do not want them – only some of the politically religious want them.
This is a common theme, random people seeking me out – the ultra religious, and the secular – to let me know what they think about themselves and America. Only once was the message negative, and that was from an obviously uneducated man who wanted me to know America hatred of Iran would not be tolerated.
Nuclear power has become a national pride. More so because of the pressure and threats that has been exerted on them. The quickest way to build support for a weapons program is to push harder. I agree that pressure must be placed on them, but to much and we will get a backlash of support because the population starts feeling patronized by “the big kids on the block.”
— IRT · Apr 12, 10:26 AM ·
To further expand on what IRT said above;
I am an Iranian citizen,vehemently opposed to the current government in Tehran but 100% for the nuclear development.That would probably make me one in the great majority!
Right or wrong the contemporary Iranian nation has a chip on its shoulder.I don’t mean to insult anyone here but the average Iranians view themselves differently as an Indian,Arab,Pakistani…
Iranians view themselves as heir apparent to a great empire with 1000 year history of being a “superpower”.To many Iranians this sets them apart not only from nearby neighbors but even from nations such as France,Germany..US.
Strangely enough,this feature transcends religious and nationalistic boundaries in society.
The “chip on the shoulder” part comes from the last couple of centuries of foreign malicious interventions in Iran.As kids in school we studied how the Russians,British and later on Americans forced weak Iranian governments into submission.We all study how Russians annexed large parts of Iranian territory,how the British bribed and coerced Iran into shameful treaties covering almost everything,be it the monopoly on tea import or oil export!
Couple all that with the CIA coup against Mossadegh and years of US support for the dictator,it has left the Iranian psyche highly sensitive when it comes to foreigners telling them what they can or can not do inside their country.
Unfortunately,for many Iranians Ahmadinejad’s picking up the fallen flag of Mossadegh (despite clear ideological differences) resonates deeply.After all Mossadegh (elected leader) wanted Iran to be in charge of its oil(energy) industry and was deposed because of that.Ahmadinejad has surgically attached himself to Iran’s drive in its nuclear industry against the wishes of the West.
I’ve heard many arguments to prove that the Iranian nuclear industry is all about the nuclear weapons.One such argument says, if a nation resists as much as Iran has,to the degree that its sheer existence has been threatened militarily by nuclear powers(US,Israel) and STILL unwilling to bend to pressure and since no country would risk annihilation for the sake of just a “Civilian” nuclear industry!
So it proves the point,right?
Not really!
It couldn’t be further from the truth and just goes to show how unfamiliar the West is with the Iranian psyche.
Forget Nuclear industry,if the West demanded Iran to stop making facial tissue and import it from outside,Iranians are basically set for an all out war!
We might have been happy to import it at first before you demanded it but now we are willing to die trying to make it!
It sounds illogical but that’s how some things are in life.
— K.Y · Apr 14, 12:04 AM ·
I cannot explain how much I am grateful to K.Y for his unbelievably precise elaboration of the Iranian psyche. This is the best explanation of Iranian psyche, and of the situation with respect to current nuclear issue in Iran that I have ever seen on internet.
The lack of proper understanding of realities of Iranian society may cause significant troubles internationally. The first thing for others, especially for the westerners, is to try to see the problems from Iranians’ point of view as well, and thus to avoid international catastrophes that may happen just because of some naive policies.
The above explication serves very well for this purpose. Thank you so much K.Y again!
Another Iranian guy living abroad!
— M.M · Apr 15, 01:04 AM ·
Right when the flag waving starts around minute 3:00, the song that begins playing in the background is the pre-Islamic Republic national anthem, “Ey Iran.”
— Matthew · Apr 15, 09:17 AM ·
Now Mr.Ahmadinejad has a powerful rival,Mirhossein Musavi.The man managed the economy in the eight-year war.So he will do the most he can to be elected for the next 4-year term.
“Ey Iran” was not national anthem before Revolution,I heard the song more than 10 times in TV since the last year.
— Omid · Apr 17, 05:15 AM ·
What is so strange about the nuclear issue being a nationalist cause in Iran? SUppose the Iranians demanded that the US cease exploiting its own oil resources and only import oil from Iran, or else face a massive bombardment campaign. What would be the reaction of Americans to such an ultimatum? Why should the Iranians react any differently? This isn’t about Ahmadinejad. Iran’s nuclear program far predates him after all.h
— hass · Apr 27, 09:50 PM ·