Mideast Wire

On February 16, the conservative daily Keyhan carried the following commentary: “These days, the throbbing veins and the torn collars of the so-called Reformists can be observed in the 2 Khordad media and some of them are selectively exaggerating a few of Imam Khomeyni's standpoints- those which can be politically exploited - in order to condemn their enemies of being opposed to Imam's path!

“This group are ignoring the majority of the great Khomeyni's standpoints such as fighting imperialism, confronting alien cultures, Islamizing the universities, developing Basij culture, the war between poverty and wealth, the rule of religion, the removal of Israel from the map of the world, the establishment of resistance cells and Hezbollah, the removal of liberals and pro-westerners from government posts, issuing execution orders for those who offend religious beliefs and ... and have limited all of Imam Khomeyni's standpoints to a few general interpretations such as the standard is the public's vote and the military's non-interference in politics.

“On Thursday 25.11.86 (17 Feb 08), we were waiting for the media to reflect two important events favourably. The first was that this day coincided with the 19th anniversary of the edict for Salman Rushdie's execution issued by Imam Khomeyni and the second was the news of the martyrdom of Lebanon's Hezbollah's most senior commander, martyr Emad Mughniyah, which was the headline of the region's media.

“But it is futile to imagine that the 2 Khordad media movement whose cries of Oh Imam has deafened everybody's ears took any notice of these two phenomena which are incidentally the product of Imam Khomeyni's beliefs and his fundamental policy. Concerning the issue of the execution order for Salman Rushdie, all the 2 Khordad media took up a seal of silence and were not even prepared to remember Imam Khomeyni's edict in a corner of their historical events column as a historical event; so much so that E'temaad-e Melli newspaper preferred to publish the issue of rule by Kharazmshahian and E'temaad China's army advance to Transoxiana as their historical events over the announcement of the anniversary of the execution edict of Salman Rushdie!

“And how was the news of the martyrdom of Haj Imad Mughniyah reflected by the 2 Khordad media? Let us not forget that Imad Mughniyah was martyred following the beliefs of the departed Imam and on the frontline of the fight against the Zionist regime and with the objective of removing Israel from the map of the world but unfortunately the 2 Khordad media refrained from even allocating the title of martyr to Mughniyah and martyrdom to the act of his ascension. Let us peruse some of the titles of 2 Khordad newspapers:

“Mardom-Salari: Commander of Lebanon's Hezbollah was killed!

“E'temaad-e Melli: Hezbollah's hidden face was assassinated!

“E'temad: The assassination of Imad Mughniyah, one of the leaders of Lebanon's Hezbollah!

“Kargozaran: Assassination on the anniversary of assassination!

“And ... you can read a multitude of meanings from these brief lines yourself!

“Truly, of which Imam's path do these so-called Reformists utter cries of Oh Imam? Apparently the Imam they have in mind has not issued the edict for the execution of Salman Rushdie and has not stressed the establishment of Hezbollah's resistance cells. Apparently the so-called Reformists' Imam has not requested the removal of Israel from the map of the world and has never spoken of fighting imperialism and confronting alien culture. It appears that the Imam favoured by the so-called Reformists has never stressed the war between poverty and wealth, the rule of religion, the removal of Liberals and pro-westerners from government posts and ...

“The so-called Reformists must be told that the likes of Emad Mughniyah are the true symbols of those who follow the path of Imam and the Guardianship and who smell of martyrdom and rush to meet their beloved in bloodied robes. Therefore, speaking of Imam and his bloody path is a huge task which does not fit into your colourful slogans, so be honest with the public and do not sacrifice Imam's path to the abject interests of the mundane and the political party!” - Keyhan, Iran