The current Iranian year that is coming to an end in just a few days has seen great turmoil and upheaval in the political arena. Healthy and civilized rivalry between political parties and factions turned from a salubrious climate of fair competition into forays of abuse, mudslinging and total refutation of each other.

Differences of opinion regarding execution of plans and programs, instead of being discussed and debated in an amicable atmosphere of honest political viewpoints, suddenly became an instrument for personal rivalries, jealousies and eradication of the opposing factions. New words and terminology were used against each other. Suddenly political groups became either reformists or conservatives. General and vague slogans were thrown at each other. It was not clear who and what was a conservative and who and what a reformist. Nobody explained why a reformist could not be a conservative and why a conservative should not want reform.

In the middle of all the uncertainties surrounding the political factions, the foreign media played a pivotal role in trying to continually manipulate one faction against another. Although all the main players in the political scenario took rough and heavy cuts and bruises, the main aim of foreign interest groups in trying to put a wedge in the framework of the political structure of the country suffered heavy defeat.

It will be naive however to assume that American and some European powers whose interests are always served through dissention and internal instability in countries such as Iran will give up their nefarious actions. It is only through establishing dictatorial and dependant governments that their interests and profits will be safeguarded. Because the priorities of democratic systems always lie within the overall interests of their own people and will not tolerate submission to external forces, they automatically become obstacles in the path of policies of hegemony and every effort will be made to weaken them whether it be through sanctions or outright intervention in their internal affairs.

Looking in retrospective at the political scene in Iran during the past two decades, it will be seen that the actual tactics of the enemies of the Islamic Revolution has not changed drastically. During Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani's term in office, he was always showered with accolades of being a politician of aptitude and depth; he was considered to be pragmatic and realist. Although he was indeed deserving of all these encomiums, he never fell into the trap of eradicating the political opposition in the country which in those days were called the left groups.

Today the foreign enemy powers are doing everything they can to eradicate the conservatives which they have dubbed The rightists. Mr. Khatami like his predecessor Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani is too astute a politician not to know the real motives behind the glorifications accorded him and to fall into the trap laid for him. Today all political factions are accepting each other. No one group has managed to eliminate the other. It is through working in friendship and harmony that we can achieve our ideals and aspirations. In three months time we shall have our next presidential elections. Whoever wins becomes the president of all the people of Iran and he will enjoy the full support of every political party or faction in the country toward the fulfillment of our revolutionary slogan of Independence, Freedom, Islamic Republic.

Happy New Year.