Why Iranian people welcome Bolton’s new position

Iranian people have begun the new year with three messages from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the US President Donald Trump.

In his remark, Khamenei, humiliated the Iranian people, especially the poor, by connecting their demands of improved living standards raised during the nationwide uprising early this year, which continue desultorily across the country, to western countries.

Instead, he praised activities of the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) in the Middle East while blaming protesters for refusing to support it.

On the other hand, the US President congratulated Iranian people on the new Persian year, while slamming the theocracy and its paramilitary force, IRGC.

The Iranian youth and activists embraced President Trump’s message on social media because it acknowledged their rich history as compared to the clerics’ hostility against Iranian national symbol.

Bolton’s appointment

The most impressive new year message was, however, President Trump’s appointment of John Bolton as the US National Security Adviser (NSA). It was received by both the regime and the people but in different ways.

According to Iran’s state media the Secretary of the regime's Supreme National Security Council (SNS) Ali Shamkhani harshly criticized Bolton as he attacked the main Iranian opposition coalition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and its leader Maryam Rajavi, who has appeared on many conventions and conferences with Bolton and other prominent US officials.

In contrast, Iranian activists have created hashtags in both Farsi and English on Twitter “#JohnBolton #جان_بولتون” in order to support the appointment.

Now one may ask how Iranians judge Bolton and why they welcome his new appointment.

During and after the recent uprising in Iran, Khamenei blamed the NCRI and Mrs Rajavi for organizing the anti-regime protests.

Rajavi is a vividly debated politician who leads the organized resistance against the fanatic religious regime in Iran. While the theocracy views women as second-class citizens, the Iranian society acknowledges Rajavi for her firm stands to overthrow the mullahs regime.

As a social activist and journalist who lived in Iran for 27 years and being actively involved in politics since 2009 both inside and outside Iran, I admit that Rajavi has a great influence and social charisma among the young generation and marginalized women who seek a democratic and secular Iran.

The new NSA partook in several NCRI gatherings in Paris and New York and spoke in support of the coalition’s demands for a free Iran. Bolton believes Mrs Rajavi’s 10-point plan is the most appropriate alternative to the Ayatollahs’ regime, according to an interview with Fox News.

In his latest remarks in Paris in July 2017, he said that “the US policy should be determined that the regime [in Iran] will not last until its 40th birthday in February 2019.”

John Bolton has come to the attention of Iranian people only because of his support for the organized resistance.

Indeed, the nuclear deal is no longer the main issue for people in Iran. The prime concern is how to bring about necessary democratic change to their country and as such they welcome a firm policy against their oppressors.

Now, the Iranian society and oppressed people of Iran have a friend in White House, whose believe converge with their legitimate demands for change.

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Freelance journalist Hamid Bahrami has served as political prisoner in Iran. He is a human rights and political activist living in Glasgow, Scotland. His works covers Iran’s destructive actions in the Middle East and social crackdown in Iran. He tweets at @HaBahrami & blogs at analyzecom.