- 10 February 2010
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- 2 Comments
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- Iran Election 2009
Homafaran 2.0
10 February 2010 Posted By Layla Armeen
“The nation will stun the world on the 22nd of Bahman.” Those were the exact words of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei giving a speech to the commanders, fighter-pilots, and personnel of the Air Force division of the Iranian Army on Sunday. What was more stunning to some was the ambiguity of support the Leader received from the Army, with parallels to the events of the last anti-authoritarian challenge in Iran.
Exactly 31 years ago, a fairly large number of the Imperial Iranian Air Force, Homafaran, defected and lent their support to Ayatollah Khomeini in the revolutionary days of Iran. That was a significant build up to the movement that toppled the Pahlavi Dynasty only three days later on February 11, 1979; a day which many believe changed the political dynamics of the Middle-East forever.
The Iranian Army has a history of neutrality when it comes to internal disputes, and has repeatedly refused to pick up arms against its own citizens. That culture and attitude is still alive today. The Iranian Army, which includes its own ground, air, and naval forces, is the only military wing of the armed forces of Iran that has stayed out of the post-election battle for power. Every other armed group including the police, commanded by the notorious Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has contributed support to the brutal post-election crack down inside Iran. Taking into account the sensitivity of the political arena in Iran today, a lack of clear support for Ayatollah Khamenei, the “Supreme Commander of Armed Forces” of Iran, is an audacious move by all accounts.
Contrary to the photographs printed in the hard-line media that suggest nothing but obedience to the Supreme Leader, the content of the report presented by the commander of the Air Force had no reference to the current political affairs of the Islamic Republic. According to the pro-government newspapers, the report only had a summary of military advancements in recent military exercises. Ayatollah Khamenei would have appreciated a more concrete support, especially during the symbolic period leading up to Feb. 11.
The Army has a reputation among Iranians for being a “sanctuary for the people” in difficult times. In an anonymous recent statement that circulated in the internet, many high ranking Army officers from across the country expressed outrage at the brutality of the IRGC and all the forces under its wing during the recent crackdowns. The statement specifically mentioned that even though the Army has taken an oath to stay away from politics, it will not be quiet against violence toward its own countrymen.
2 Responses to “Homafaran 2.0”
Layla, there are problems with your post.
First, your use of the term “Army” is misapplied. A more appropriate term would be “Military.” For example, Iran’s Army (IRIA) has its own aviation element (the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Aviation: IRIAA), while the Air Force is a distinct service (the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force: IRIAF).
You state: “the Iranian Army has a history of neutrality when it comes to internal disputes, and has repeatedly refused to pick up arms against its own citizens.” This is wrong.
For many months, the Shah’s army was actively deployed against street protesters during the late 1970’s. It was hardly neutral. That there were many defections, especially towards the end is true. But the fact is for a period of time it was not neutral, and it did inflict significant bloodshed during the revolutionary period. Live fire use of lethal force was policy, until the point in time where defections began to turn the tide.
In today’s situation, it should be pointed out that many conscript soldiers are attached to the Iranian National Police (NAJA) and they are certainly not neutral during the protests. They are distinguishable by their olive drab fatigues (field jackets in winter), and are very much active during antiriot operations. So to state that the military wing has stayed out of the post-election “battle” is not really accurate.
That said, Iran’s police forces (Persian acronym: NAJA)- while incorporating elements of the army- technically they fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior which is itself an element of the Executive Branch of government. Moreover, there are overlapping jurisdictions that apply to this force. But you are incorrect when you state that the police (NAJA) are commanded by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). This error is widespread in the Western media, and too many times NAJA police and antiriot forces (such as the guard-e vijeh or “Special Guards”) are labelled as “IRGC”.
It was in no way significant that IRIAF Brig. Gen. Hassan Shah-Safi (Commander of the Air Force) had no reference to the current political affairs of the IRI in his report to the SL. In fact, had there been references, that would have been shocking.
And Layla, nearly all serious analysts and Iran military observers have concluded that the written statement allegedly put forth by anonymous members of the Artesh (conventional military), as a warning to the IRGC, is a fake.
today’s struggle in Iran is mostly a class struggle.the oppositions lack a coherent ideologue unlike 1979, and are mostly from the higher strata of the society. the national army, in contrast, is composed of people from low income families. most of the oppositions’ youth are either abroad!, so very active in the internet, or universities, but not in the army (these are the scape goats in Iran not to go to army). the fact of the matter is: as much as the Iranian bourgeois hates the proletariat, the opposite is also the case. the current army would never take side with the greens in the way the Shah’s army did, at least for the foreseeable future. after all, Shah’s army was composed of mostly devote Muslim unwilling to stand against a grand Ayyatollah, something that is absent from today’s reality. in any case, this is an unlikely scenario written by people from an organization that know Iranians exiles well, but surely not the ones living there in Iran.