Hassan Rouhani: young Iranians' hope for an end to isolation

http://www.theguardian.com/world/iran-blog/2013/sep/19/hassan-rouhani-young-iranians-hope

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For young Iranians accustomed to living under the repressive regime of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the past few days have felt very different indeed.

The release of 11 political prisoners, the temporary lifting of government filters on social networking sites, and the warming of Iran-US relations ahead of next week's UN general assembly have brought new hope of ending Iran's international isolation and improving the lives of ordianry citizens.

After years of seeing their personal freedoms and political demands quashed, young Iranians hope the efforts of the new government led by President Hassan Rouhani will create open up Iranian society and restore the country's standing on the world stage.

"I see hope in all of the unfolding events," says student Aryo, 18. "If the country opens up, it will be good for everyone. We will feel as a part of the world rather than an enemy everywhere we go."

Pirooz, a 29-year old artist, was delighted to discover that he could access his Facebook page – for a while – without bypassing government filters. "Looks like we're not this exotic place any more, this black hole where the internet is blocked," he said after Facebook and Twitter became temporarily accessible on 16 September, leading to speculation that the government might be prepared to lift the myriad restrictions of personal freedoms to which young Iranians have grown accustomed during the Ahmadinejad years.

"Of course, they won't permit [social networking sites] all the way," Pirooz said. "They cannot just open up everything – there would be chaos. But we're starting to understand just how much pressure we were under."

The relaxation of restrictions on social networking sites, combined with the release of political prisoners, including human rights lawyer Nasrin Soutudeh, has led many of Iran's young people to believe that the grievances they have voiced since the turbulent 2009 election, which led to months of bloody clashes between Green Movement demonstrators and government forces, are finally being heard by the new administration.

There is now growing hope for the release of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, two reformist candidates who were placed under house arrest following the 2009 unrest.

"If they free Karroubi and Mousavi, there will be huge happiness in the streets," said Reza, 27, a Green Movement activist.

Recent statements by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who in an 18 September address to the Revolutionary Guards urged "heroic flexibility" regarding Iran's internal affairs, have also been a talking point.

"It shows how bad and dangerous things have been for the country, that it got so bad he had to accept change," said Reza. "Rouhani has much more ability to act in the way he wants now. Now, he has the opportunity to show the other face of Iranian politics."

The change in tone of Iranian politics, coupled with the recent communications between Iran and the United States ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York next week, has also raised confidence in a diplomatic solution to the conflict over Syria and over Iran's controversial nuclear programme, which has led to economically crippling sanctions. Iranians also hope that, after Ahmadinejad's years of bombastic rhetoric and Holocaust denial, the international community will respond positively to the Rouhani administration's moderated tone.

"After years of [being] classless people who couldn't even show the world the real face of Iranians, we have someone professional who can get international respect and at the same time work for the benefit of the country," said Afshin, 30.

While hopeful for detente, he added the situation was not yet ripe for the US and Iranian leaders to meet face to face. "[Barack] Obama and Rouhani can not meet outright. After all, here we call America the great devil, a hegemony that takes what it wants. Both governments have to maintain face. Let's not forget that we still have very religious radical forces here that will never agree to great concessions to America."

However, observers also noted that sanctions have taken their toll on the regime's resolve, bringing even Iran's most conservative forces to the negotiating table. "The sanctions are breaking everyone's knees," said Afshin. "When factories close and the price of bread skyrockets, there is no room for ideology – there must be an agreement."

In the lower-income neighbourhood of Nazi Abad in south Tehran, Ali, a 45-year-old maintenance worker, complained about the doubling price of building materials, saying that "nothing has changed". Ali is from a nearby village but is living in Tehran, temporarily, he hopes. He has brought his youngest daughter with him from their village and she lives with him on the 24-hour building site where he works.

"Nothing's really changed in the past two months. They say the price of gold has gone down, but what is that to us? I work in agriculture. I would just ask Rouhani not to terminate the loans Ahmadinejad made to farmers. He provided agriculture and home loans that were really beneficial.

"They haven't put an end to the loans yet – and I don't think they will any time soon. But I'm afraid they will eventually because of their animosity toward Ahmadinejad.

"I think we need to wait six or seven months and see what happens. They say if they lift sanctions, things will get better. Rouhani is close to [former president Akbar Hashemi] Rafsanjani and he will tell him what he needs to do. Rouhani himself is someone the world can respect. But for now, nothing has changed. Cement still costs the same as it did."

Majid, 40, owns a car repair shop in Yazd. He and his wife and two children have travelled to the capital to visit a sick relative. He's smoking while waiting for a ride from their host. "Rouhani is good, very good," he says. In politics or economics? "Both. During that so-and-so Ahmadinjad's government, we were moving in a negative direction. We're below zero right now, but at least we're working our way to zero. I think we need to give Rouhani a year or two. It'll take a long time to get out from under the disaster that idiot brought upon us.

"I hope Rouhani can revive the bazaar. I don't want too much. I just hope he can repair our society. Our society is in ruins."

Hamid, a 44-year-old advertising executive, was full of praise for Rouhani. "We are still having a ball with [Rouhani in office]. Rouhani <em>motchakerim</em> (we thank you, Rouhani). During Ahmadinejad's time I had lost all hope. Now I am much more hopeful – but there is always reason to be doubtful. Let's see what Ahmad Jannati [hardline cleric] and General Yahya Rahim Safavi [of the Revolutionary Guards], who will give speeches during Friday prayers, say tomorrow."

His friend Mehry, who works in the health industry, appealed to the international media not to exaggerate the situation. "I believe that if the western media does not start their crazy sensationalism and sticks to real news rather than overanalysing every single word that every single authority says in Iran, there is a lot of hope. But when international media keeps on bombarding the airways with issues like 'the leader is now scared', or 'the Islamic republic is admitting their defeat' and similar analysis, it only emboldens the hardliners (in all camps), then this hope will not last long and we will be spiralling back into animosity."

Art student Nima, 18, is more skeptical. "I will not say anything until things really change. I do not want false hopes. I will comment after I see with my eyes that Obama shakes hands with Rohani and we do not see military actions on any tables anywhere."

<em>• Names have been changed. </em>

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