Sympathy sinks 'Great Satan'

Can a global tragedy and common interests push Iran and the United States to patch-up two decades of mistrust? Azadeh Moaveni tests the waters in Tehran
or the country that coined the epithets that are now the vernacular of anti- American parlance -- "Great Satan", "the Global Arrogance" -- Iran's response to the attacks in the United States was noteworthy for its uniform sympathy. Even the most hard-line Islamic clerics, who despise the United States, were shocked into silence. President Mohamed Khatami set the tone for Iran's reaction with a statement that in Persian rang with deep compassion: "On behalf of the Iranian people and the Islamic Republic, I denounce the terrorist measures, which led to the killing of defenseless people, and I express my deep sorrow and sympathy with the American people."
The official reaction that followed was studiously cautious. Hassan Rowhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council -- a body that brings together all the state bodies and influences Iran's foreign policy -- spoke for the entire state establishment: "From the Islamic point of view, we condemn terrorist acts and the killing of defenseless human beings, and regard it as an ugly and inhuman action." Reformists, who had closed ranks behind Khatami, fretted over the possibility of a triumphant rant during Friday prayer, a political pulpit for decrees. But Ayatollah Mohamed Emami- Kashani, a prominent conservative cleric, denounced the attack as "heart-rending." "Who can witness such an event and remain unaffected? We are all sorry." For the first time since the 1979 revolution, the prayer leader did not lead the crowd in chanting "Death to America." By contrast, Iran failed to condemn the US embassy bombings in Africa in 1998.
For a few short days, the signals going back and forth between Iran the US were a veritable love fest compared to the cold animosity of the past two decades. On Saturday Iran announced it would close off the Afghan border, to contain the expected flood of refugees fleeing an imminent US military attack. Then, Tehran Mayor Morteza Alviri and City Council Chairman Mohamed Atrianfar sent a joint condolence message to New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani: "The news about the recent terrorist acts which took many innocent lives in New York causes deep grief and sorrow. Undoubtedly, this act is not just against New Yorkers, but all humanity," read the letter. Appearing on American television, Secretary of State Colin Powell said recent Iranian statements are "worth exploring" to determine the scope of Tehran's potential role.
Observers of Iran-US relations have long noted that only an unexpected catalyst might alter the stagnant possibilities for a rapprochement. Political will to reconsider ties had been virtually extinguished by the low priority the Bush Administration had accorded Iran, and disagreement within the Iranian establishment. The attacks on the United States were precisely the sort of unpredictable phenomenon Iran's hard-liners feared would hurl the question back on the agenda. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei quickly stepped in to cool the eager interest developing both in Tehran and Washington as to possible cooperation. "Iran condemns a possible attack on Afghanistan which could lead to another human catastrophe," he said, conveying Tehran's opposition to American strikes that would endanger Afghan civilians.
Despite Khamenei's signal, Iran's reformists believe that whether either side intended it or not, an inadvertent degree of warming has and will continue to result from the first direct back and forth since 1979.
"Obviously, the work of five years can't be accomplished in a day," said an Iranian government official. But Iran may be willing to cooperate with the United States. The key variables will be whether the US acts militarily as part of an international coalition, and whether it provides hard evidence to the global community that Osama Bin Laden was the perpetrator of the attacks.
The restraint of Iranian officials was in large part mirrored by the news media. The hard-line daily Resalat, which usually traffics in rabid anti-Americanism, ran the headline: "America collapsed!" Reformist papers led with President Khatami's reaction, careful to emphasise the message of sympathy. The only evidence of smugness came from the hard-line Tehran Times, which ran the banner headline: "Terror in the White House -- America Paying the Price for its Blind Support of Racist Regime." By Thursday, the press had moved to exploring conspiracy theories, as to who could be responsible. Homegrown terrorists, Zionists, and Democrat-Republican rivalry were all declared possibilities, and America's support for Israel was identified as a key source of its problems.
Iranians were on their way home from work when the news came, so only later in the evening did word of the tragedy spread on the streets of Tehran. In interviews in pizza places and coffee shops, reactions were mostly sympathetic. "Why should Americans deserve this? That's a sick thought. They are just ordinary people like us," said Massoud Moshiri, as he bought cigarettes at a juice stand. There was no gloating or rejoicing in Tehran.
Iranian young people attempted to hold a candlelight vigil in crowded Mohseni Square, but police and Islamic militiamen dispersed them.
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US attack 13 - 19 September 2001
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