Kader Abdolah on 30 years of revolution in Iran

Thirty years ago Iran was rocked by an Islamic revolution. Iranian-born writer Kader Abdolah experienced the revolution first-hand, and looks back on the events in the left-liberal daily De Volkskrant: "Regrets? Never. For all of us it was the most awe-inspiring event of our time. And for me it became the fundament on which I constructed my life. Today, 30 years later, I am certain of one thing: The rise of the Ayatollahs was unavoidable. ... The Shah of Persia intentionally sought to keep us ignorant. He was America's puppet king. During his 35 year rule we never knew what democracy was. He never explained the importance of freedom of opinion. What is over is over. What remains is the regime of the clergy, and they are not about to leave. In the last 30 years they have erected a labyrinth of power that even nuclear bombs cannot destroy. Thirty years have past, and I must now be more reasonable. I must thrust aside my personal abhorrence for this regime. We must not view Iran as a false and dangerous country. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad represents a very conservative wing. But there are also other imams who adopt a more liberal path in today's Islamic regime. Mohammad Khatami is one example. He will run against Ahmadinejad in the elections. Iran has become an important, stable power in the Middle East. This fact cannot be denied."

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