Islamic Revolution Victory Ended US Meddling in Iran: American Activist

“That brought Iran to the attention of America, if not the rest of the world as well. I am sure most Americans were not aware that the U S has been interfering in Iranian internal affairs for decades. I think that was one of the main reasons for the revolution,” Michael Marceau, vice president of the Veterans for Peace told the Tasnim News Agency.

He added, “The United States animosity is not limited to Iran. We have invaded and occupied dozens of other countries throughout our short history.”

Veterans For Peace is a US-based global organization of Military Veterans and allies whose collective efforts are to build a culture of peace, according to the official website of the center. It informs "the public of the true causes of war and the enormous costs" of US wars, with an obligation to heal the wounds of wars.

Following is the text of the interview.

Tasnim: As you know, the Iranian nation toppled the US-backed Pahlavi regime 38 years ago, ending 2,500 years of monarchic rule in the country. Since then, on February 11 each year, Iranian people pour into the streets in their millions to commemorate the great victory of the Islamic Revolution and voice their support for the country’s establishment. What is your take on the victory and its contributions?

Marceau: I think the greatest contribution from post-Revolution Iran may be that the entire world knows more about Iran now than they did before 1979. I sometimes fear that many people in the US only learn geography through natural disasters or wars, and many of them would consider the November 4th, 1979, attack on the US Embassy in Tehran to be an act of war. That brought Iran to the attention of America, if not the rest of the world as well. I am sure most Americans were not aware that the U S has been interfering in Iranian internal affairs for decades. I think that was one of the main reasons for the revolution. I am sure very few Americans know about Iran's 2500 years of history and how important a part it played in the history of the world.

Tasnim: It has been 38 years since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, and during this time, we have witnessed the hostile acts of the US against the Iranian nation, from the unjust sanctions to the 8-year war with Saddam's regime and US support for the MKO (Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization) terrorists. Every American administration has found some excuses and methods to continue these hostile acts against the nation of Iran. Considering that Iran has not attacked another nation in more than 300 years, what is the reason for such animosity against Iran

Marceau: The United States animosity is not limited to Iran. We have invaded and occupied dozens of other countries throughout our short history. I think the fact that we are a very young country is part of the reason for our actions. We do not have the perspective that comes from centuries of experience on the international stage. We often have the mindset that if something is different - whether it is a country, a culture, or a group of people - it is perceived as bad or a threat. The sad fact is that fewer than 20% of Americans have passports. This means that 4 of 5 people have never visited another country. Our education system reinforces this ignorance about the rest of the world.

Tasnim: It is said that one of the achievements of the Islamic revolution of Iran is standing against American domination and hegemony in the region and the world. Would you agree with this observation? Please elaborate your opinion.

Marceau: Iran certainly has stood up to America, as well as to Israel. Sometimes this has not been done in a diplomatic way, but it has been noticed. I believe the very close US relationship with Israel is a major problem for peace in the Mideast. We support Israel in spite of dozens of violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions. I think all parties have to be willing to compromise for peace talks to begin. Unfortunately, the possibility of this happening any time soon is very small.

Tasnim: US cruel sanctions have targeted the Iranian people. Under the pretext of support for human rights and democracy, the US has even prevented the Iranian nation from obtaining medicines and medical equipment. These sanctions were undertaken during the so-called peaceful Obama administration and the new president Donald Trump gives every indication that he intends to keep the pressure on. Do you think that the American public will come to see this trend of injustice towards Iran, especially as they begin to witness extreme measures taken by Trump?

Marceau: I do not think sanctions are very effective, except in rare cases where they have a very specific focus. One time that sanctions worked was against South Africa and their system of apartheid. Today Iranians suffer at the hands of the US, Palestinians, and Gazans suffer from Israeli actions, and Cubans have endured US sanctions for more than 50 years.