Iran’s internal Tug of war about ‘Death to America’

Are Iranians split on relations with United States? A cleavage has finally appeared at all levels in the country – from Iranian people to leadership and on top of it up to high clergy. A Tug of war between moderates and hardliners is gripping across Iran.  

Not many days ago, Iranian top leadership engaged itself in the ‘correspondence’ and phone call diplomacies with the White House. Moderate Iranian President Rouhani took the initiative in his country – something unthinkable since last 34 years. Not surprisingly and not many months ago, he won the Presidential election on his moderate agenda including normalization of ties with the West.

The hardliners are reacting too because they fear losing popular support. Ayotallah Khatami now spearheads the reactionaries. They are trying to revive the dyeing chant ‘Death to America’ which is on ventilator as new generation Iranians are keeping themselves away from this slogan. They deem it was previous generation who thought America is a Satan. 

The result is a divide, a tug of war; senile versus juvenile, past versus future and irrational versus rational – Khatami versus Rouhani. For many thousand years, world has known that Tug of war may result in catastrophic injuries and accidents. This conflict can damage internal fabric of Iran.

The tradition of chanting ‘Death to America’ and burning American and Israeli flags by hardliner revolutionaries after Friday prayers had been a regular scene outside Tehran mosques since Iranian Islamic revolution was staged in 1979. This 34-year taboo was broken by President Rouhani and President Obama by connecting through phone call. 

President Rouhani has overwhelming support from law-makers, intelligentsia and masses for restoration of normal ties with the United States. On the other extreme, Ayotallah Khatami labeled President Obama ‘liar’, the United States as ‘Great Satan‘ and revived ‘Death to America’ rhetoric in his last Friday sermon. The number of demonstrators chanting ‘Death to America’ increased this Friday as compared to the previous one. 

President Rouhani and Ayatollah Khatami reflect two opposite poles and give a clue that Iranian establishment is now deeply divided about relations with the United States. 

Iran’s great strength after the Islamic revolution was unanimity in almost all issues of national security and interest. The latest development indicates that not only Iranian establishment but public at large is divided on almost every issue – ranging from ties with the West, confrontation with the United States and even more serious issues like nuclear capability. 

President Rouhani and President Obama are constantly under pressure. Rouhani is under pressure from a large segment of parliament, military and most important top clergy. President Obama is constantly under pressure from Israel and a large part of the Congress. 

How both Presidents will approach in policy making about each other is the most difficult question to answer now. It is likely that the Unites States would seek help from Iran in sorting out its endeavors in the region, especially Afghanistan and Syria. A paradox to the American interest in the region can be the internal Tug of war in Iran itself.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee saves Malala Yousafzai’s life?

Has The Norwegian Nobel Committee probably saved Malala Yousafzai’s life by not awarding her 2013 Nobel Peace Prize? It seems weird but Malala Yousafzai’s can be a unique case. Pakistani Talibans were constantly threatening to kill the teenage education activist if she is awarded the most prestigious award of the world. They have also threatened to kill any bookseller who sells Malala Yousafzai’s book in Pakistan. 

Mainstream media had speculated that five-member The Norwegian Nobel Committee was extremely concerned about the ‘price’ of the award to Malala Yousafzai. There was a strong view that awarding Nobel Prize to Malala risked encouraging another assassination attempt from Islamic extremists, and that, at just 16 years’ of age, she was too young to cope with the weight of the prize.

Instead, the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) – an intergovernmental organization and a weapons watchdog, located in The Hague, Netherlands. The OPCW promotes and verifies the adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention which prohibits of the use of chemical weapons and requires their destruction. The OPCW was formed on 28^th April 1997 – the same year Malala Yousafzai was born in Mingora, Pakistan on 12^th July. The OPCW is not an agency of the United Nations, but cooperates both on policy and practical issues as 189 countries in the world are members of this organization. Turkey’s Ahmet Uzumku is the current Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. 

While announcing the award, The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised extensive efforts of the OPCW to eliminate chemical weapons. The decision of the award is significant in the backdrop of world community’s efforts to eliminate chemical weapons from Syria. Commenting on the award, the committee panel said, “The conventions and the work of the OPCW have defined the use of chemical weapons as a taboo under international law. Recent events in Syria, where chemical weapons have again be put to use, have underlined the need to enhance the efforts to do away with such weapons”.

The decision between Malala Yousafzai and the OPCW was to choose between whom to address on priority – war against Al-Qaida and Taliban terrorism or war against chemical weapons. Winning both wars are important for better future and ultimate peace in the world. One war cannot be ignored to give priority to the other war. However, it appears war against Al-Qaida and Taliban terrorism will be a long-fought war in order to eliminate roots of the evil while war against chemical weapons could comparably be lesser in duration. 

If I were asked to give my opinion, I would have suggested sharing the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize between the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and Malala Yousafzai. Both are so vital for bringing peace and normalcy in the world as both wars must be won. In shorter term, I agree to the idea to save Malala Yousafzai from another assassination attempt and keep the hope alive.

The 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has awarded The 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly to three scientists James E. Rothman, Randy W. Schekman and Thomas C. Sudhof. The most coveted award was announced by the Nobelforsamlingen (The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet) on Monday 7 October 2013 in Stockholm, Sweden.

The Nobel Medical Institute awards Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine every year. The 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is jointly awarded to three scientists James E. Rothman, Randy W. Schekman and Thomas C. Sudhof for their discoveries of machinery regulating vesicle traffic, a major transport system in our cells.

The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet said in a press release that The 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine honors three scientists who have solved the mystery of how the cell organizes its transport system. Each cell is a factory that produces and exports molecules. For instance, insulin is manufactured and released into the blood and chemical signals called neurotransmitters are sent from one nerve cell to another. These molecules are transported around the cell in small packages called vesicles. The three Nobel laureates have discovered the molecular principles that govern how this cargo is delivered at the right time in the cell.

Randy Schekman discovered a set of genes that were required for vesicle traffic. James Rothman unraveled protein machinery that allows vesicles to fuse with their targets to permit transfer of cargo.Thomas Sudhof revealed how signals instruct vesicles to release their cargo with precision. 

Through their discoveries James E. Rothman, Randy W. Schekman and Thomas C. Sudhof have revealed the exquisitely precise control system for the transport and delivery of cellular cargo. Disturbances in this system have deleterious effects and contribute to conditions such as neurological diseases, diabetes and immunological disorders.

James E. Rothman was born in 1950 in Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA. He is currently Professor and Chairman in the Department of Cell Biology at the Yale University in New Heaven, Connecticut, USA.

Randy W. Schekman was born in 1948 in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. He is currently Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California at Berkeley. 

Thomas C. Sudhof was born in 1955 in Gottingen, Germany. He is currently Professor of Molecular and Cellular Physiology at Stanford University.

The Third Planet

Earth is the third planet in the solar system. More than 7 billion human beings live on the third planet in six populated continents while the seventh continent is not populated.

The Third Planet has a long turbulent history. The recorded events in history of human being date back to few thousand years only, especially two to three thousand years.

Today, The Third planet has complex issues which often lead to warfare, migrations, turmoils and never ending development in science and technology.

I am starting a blog to discuss various conflicts arising from international and regional politics, warfare, economic interests, migrations and also different developments in science and technology.

The overall scenario of the world changes twice in a century as a new scenario replaces the older one. The present day scenario emerged after the second world war.

Here we go....