XI

The Mullahs and Middle East Peace

The Muslims' fury and hatred will burn the heart of Washington some day and America will be responsible for its repercussions. The day will come when, like Salman Rushdie, the Jews will not find a place to live anywhere in the world

-Guards Corps Major General Mohsen Rezaii,

Commander in Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps,

October 21, 1991¹

Since the peace talks between Israel and its neighbours began in 1991, Tehran has spared no effort to undermine the Middle East peace process. "We must endeavour to defeat this conference, and we know that this conference is a sham,"² Rafsanjani said shortly after the talks opened. The regime's leader, Khamenei, also voiced his objection, saying, "In the present circumstances, we must oppose this ominous peace conference to the extent we can. The active presence of the people and mujahideen of Palestine as well as a political and public relations campaign will defeat the Arrogant West's conspiracy."³ State, controlled media have devoted a significant portion of their political commentaries and programs to lambasting the talks, sometimes issuing death decrees for those taking part and urging "zealous Muslims" to murder the negotiators for committing "treacheries." Calls to take "immediate practical measures" (Tanta-mount to terrorism in the mullahs' lexicon) abound in the government press. A typical report said:

The world has realized that the liberation of Palestine constitutes a strategic ideal for the Islamic Revolution... Practical support for Palestine's Islamic revolution in all financial, political, intelligence, and military domains represents inevitable necessities at this historical juncture... The Muslims must pay attention to the directives of His Eminence, the Leader, to fully understand these fateful moments in today's' Islamic world and take immediate practical measures.⁴

     The mullahs' regime opposes the trend toward peace in the Middle East, because continued tensions serve its interests. Since coming to power in 1979, the Iranian clerics have devoted enormous energy to the Palestinian issue. Cognizant of the depth of the attachments of Muslims and particularly Arab masses toward Palestine and Qods (Jerusalem), Khomeini justified the war with Iraq, a neighboring Muslim state, with the slogan of "liberating Qods through Karbala." He also tried to gain influence among Muslims and Arabs through propaganda moves such as "the International Qods Day" and the "twenty-million-member army to free Qods." Moreover, the Palestinian issue and the universal attention it commands in the Middle East diverted attention from Iran's internal affairs, notably the brutal clampdown there on liberties and democratic freedoms.

     But the most important factor motivating Khomeini's heirs to oppose the peace process is the very nature of the velayat-e-faqih regime. The clerics fear and openly acknowledge that if peace were to take hold in the region, they will be "the next target" for scrutiny. Khamenei himself warned: "If the Palestinian problem were resolved forever, America will prepare herself for her principal task, namely to fight Islamic movements." The regime's leaders also believe that the establishment of peace in the Middle East will further aggravate their international isolation. Muhammad Yazdi, the head of the judiciary, explained: "Organizing such a [Middle East peace] conference is consistent with the efforts of America and other Western states to isolate Islam".⁵

     In his speech to the Conference to Support Palestine's Islamic Revolution in Tehran in late 1991, Rafsanjani said: "Without doubt, no issue bears greater significance for us than Palestine...we are presently involved in such problems as Kashmir, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iraq, India, Africa, and Muslims in the Soviet Union. . . . But the Palestinian issue is first and foremost and our most important task is to address it."⁶ Elsewhere, Rafsanjani warned against "a new fire the peace conference has set ablaze".⁷ His ambassador in Damascus, Muhammad-Hassan Akhtari, cautioned that this conference aims to "uproot Islamic movements throughout the entire Muslim world."⁸

     In the "strategic ideal of liberating Palestine," Tehran is in fact searching for its own "strategic survival" Mohsen Rezaii, the Guards Corps commander in chief has said, "If we lose on the Palestinian issue today, other issues will also be lost."⁹ Indeed, the peace process is interwoven with the fate of the Iranian regime and constitutes its "pivotal" problem.¹⁰ Thus, in the words of Ahmad Khomeini, "Despite their differences on minor issues, the country's officials have no disagreements whatsoever on the Palestinian problem, neither concerning the goal nor the means to achieve it."¹¹ In the words of Khamenei, "The Palestinian nation has only one path to salvation-a violent and selfless struggle which must be conducted inside and outside occupied lands. This is an Islamic struggle which all Muslims are duty bound to help."¹² To this end, Rafsanjani also boasted, "As the chief executive of the Islamic Republic, I declare that we are ready to contribute to alleviate the needs of Palestine. We are even prepared to send troops to help the Palestinians. "¹³

     Reaffirming his rejection of the Middle East peace process in January 1993, Khamenei said, "The government of Israel is a usurper [government and must be annihilated….This is a fundamental issue on the basis of which we are opposed to any action which would run counter to this goal"¹⁴ Five days later, Rafsanjani echoed the same theme during a press conference with foreign journalists in Tehran: "We believe Israel is an illegitimate government. . . As such, we will be against these [Arab, Israeli] peace talks."¹⁵