"I salute the revolutions of the peoples of the Middle East and their energetic move to rid themselves of corruption and foreign intervention; they had given up on attaining their right to freedom and independence and wanted to get rid of tyranny and authoritarianism and thus I salute the Egyptian and Tunisia people over their revolutions." Who would believe that these words came from Iran's foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, speaking before the United National Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday? This was the same council that decided to convene a special session on Syria, at the request of a large number of UN member states, who want a resolution condemning the Syrian regime's horrific human rights violations against its people. The speech of the Iranian minister reflected the state of self-denial by an Iranian regime that oppresses its people and defends its ally Syria, which is killing daily at least 50 people from heroic cities. They have risen up for freedom, and to topple the tyrannical despotism that the Iranian minister was talking about. Even the foreign minister of France, Alain Juppe, mocked his Iranian counterpart, asking if he would extend his salute to the people of Syrian and their revolution. The Iranian minister's blessing of the Egyptian and Tunisian uprisings is strange in a country that makes every effort to assist tyranny, dictatorship, killing and torture, not just at home, but also in Syria, where warships laden with weapons and money are sent to help a regime that has oppressed its people for decades. During the 30 years of its presence in Lebanon, the Syrian regime did things that it is now doing to the Syrian people. But the difference is that in Lebanon some people colluded with the regime for the sake of power and official positions. No one in Beirut forgets the siege of Ashrafieh, when it was shelled by Syrian troops, just as they are doing in Homs. The Syrian regime has been active for decades in Lebanon in suppressing, killing and kidnapping, and setting off bombs. The collusion did not take place only in Lebanon, since the entire world was silent about Syria's actions in Lebanon; Israel, which has proven that the Syrian regime suits it, was a leader on this front. Today, the world has changed and Arab countries have awoken, to reject the practices that the Syrian regime excelled at so recently in Lebanon. Influential countries in the west and the east find themselves in a predicament, due to the position by Russia and China, and not just because of the veto in the Security Council. The countries that pushed for change in Libya claim that military intervention in Syria is not possible because the opposition is not united. However, the truth is that there are important presidential elections in France and the United States. Each president is leading a re-election campaign and does not want the dangers of launching a military opposition whose results are not guaranteed. For France, military intervention remains unlikely, even though President Nicolas Sarkozy's rival, the Socialist candidate Francois Holland, supports France's stance on Syria. The same problem is faced by the American president, and also the Russian president, who used the veto for various objectives such as his fear of seeing Islamists hold sway in Central Asian countries. The brave Syrian people must rely on themselves and avoid the deadly divisions of the Lebanese. The Syrians have experienced a long period of suffering, especially with Iran's support of the Syrian regime, even though Tehran pretends to sing the praises of the Arab uprisings while helping to suppress them. The result of the Syrian referendum on a new Constitution is further proof of the state of denial of the Syrian and Iranian regimes. However, the brave young people of the Syrian uprising will triumph, despite the difficult reality, because they have dared to reject tyranny and demand freedom.
