LONDON: The first Iranian president after the 1979 revolution has accused the current regime of becoming more corrupt and dictatorial than the Shah’s rule.
Abolhassan Bani-Sadr said the ruling mullahs are using religion to “justify oppression, corruption, and repression.”
The regime has “emptied religion of its content and filled it with lies and irrationality,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Bani-Sadr, who took office in February 1980, was pushed from power in June 1981 by hard-liners of the clergy who were aligned with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1981. He fled to France and continues to live in exile.
He said Tehran is currently involved in eight wars, and they include the “the economic war, the direct military war in Syria, war through terrorism, the diplomatic war, and the propaganda war.”
He called on the regime to stop its interventions in the Middle East and to pay attention to the needs of the Iranian people.
Talking about the hundreds of thousands of people who took to the streets to protest against the regime during the presidency of Barack Obama, Bani-Sadr said the protest movement has retreated despite growing resentment.
He said protesters were demanding reforms within the regime as opposed to the Arab Spring where people demanded regime changes.
“When people restrict their demands to within the regime, repressive forces are assured that the regime is stable and do not hesitate to follow its orders. If these forces become aware that the regime cannot offer stability, they are more likely to rebel.”
Former Iranian president says country more corrupt and dictatorial than under the Shah
Former Iranian president says country more corrupt and dictatorial than under the Shah
- Bani-Sadr, who took office in February 1980, was pushed from power in June 1981 by hard-liners of the clergy who were aligned with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1981
- He called on the regime to stop its interventions in the Middle East and to pay attention to the needs of the Iranian people
’Not much is standing’ in Gaza, says UN official
- “We can’t wait, we can’t procrastinate,” da Silva said, adding that Gazans across the territory were living in an “inhumane situation“
- He said the launch of phase two of the Gaza truce plan marked a “historical” moment
JERUSALEM: A top United Nations official on Thursday called for accelerating reconstruction work in Gaza, saying Palestinians there were living in “inhumane” conditions, even as a US-backed truce entered its second phase.
“I wouldn’t have imagined what I saw today, which is total destruction, not much is standing,” Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) told journalists after a visit to the Gaza Strip.
“We can’t wait, we can’t procrastinate,” he said, adding that Gazans across the territory were living in an “inhumane situation.”
The two-year war between Hamas and Israeli forces has left Gaza facing destruction on a scale unseen in previous conflicts, with vast swathes reduced to rubble.
Entire residential neighborhoods, hospitals, schools and basic infrastructure have been heavily damaged or destroyed, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to live in makeshift shelters.
Da Silva said the launch of phase two of the Gaza truce plan marked a “historical” moment that should be seized to kick-start reconstruction efforts.
“This opens the opportunities for reconstruction, knowing that we will need $52 billion, according to the assessment conducted by the World Bank, UN and the European Commission, for the reconstruction of Gaza,” he said.
“But the point is we can’t wait for the big reconstruction, which requires billions, to immediately launch the early recovery that requires millions.”
On Wednesday, US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff announced the start of phase two of the Gaza ceasefire, saying it aimed to pave the way for reconstruction and the demilitarization of all armed factions in the territory.
The war was triggered by the Palestinian Islamist group’s unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The ensuing Israeli offensive has devastated Gaza, home to about 2.2 million people, a territory that was already suffering severely from previous rounds of fighting and from an Israeli blockade imposed since 2007.
Da Silva said the war had left about 60 million tons of rubble scattered across the strip.
“Gaza is flooded by rubble and debris,” he said.
“The problem is not just the volume of rubble, it’s also the fact that its content is quite a matter of concern, with unexploded ordnance in the rubble, dangerous waste, and unfortunately also human remains.”
The environmental and urban planning specialist said one of the most urgent priorities was ensuring reliable access to fuel — a critical resource in Gaza, where most electricity is generated by fuel-powered generators.
He also cited the need for demining, rebuilding water supply networks, lifting restrictions on the entry of aid, and allowing in spare parts required for repairs — long-standing demands by humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza.
Aid groups have for months complained of difficulties bringing in equipment and supplies, blaming Israeli restrictions.
Israel rejects those accusations, saying it oversees the entry of goods into Gaza to ensure its security.
