TEHRAN (FNA)- Robert Fantina, author and journalist, says the late founder of Islamic Revolution aroused Iranians from deep slumber in which there were deprived of their basic right of living in a sovereign state without foreign intervention.
Speaking exclusively with FNA, Robert Fantina said Imam Khomeini played a key role to resistance against arrogant powers in the West Asian region, and added, “Today, because of the work of Imam Khomeini, Iran is able to assist its allies in their struggles against foreign oppression. He, and the government he ushered in, are an inspiration to people around the world.”
Robert Fantina is an American-Canadian author, journalist and activist for peace and social justice. His writing appears regularly on Counterpunch, Global Research and several other sites.
Below is the full text of the interview:
Q: What do you think was the most important legacy of Imam Khomeini, the late founder of Islamic Republic of Iran?
A: Despite the many contributions made by Imam Khomeini, his most important legacy may well be the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Imam Khomeini inspired his people to rise up and shed the shackles of a brutal US puppet government. He was vitally important to the Revolution and to the government that it established.
As a result of his work and inspiration, Iran is a powerful but peaceful nation. When I visited Iran in 2017, spending time in Tehran and Mashhad, I found those cities to be modern, exciting and vibrant. Men and women moved about freely, and opportunities for both men and women abounded. None of this was possible under the previous government.
Without the Revolution, the Iranian people would still be living under brutal oppression, without the basic rights of free speech. The vibrancy that I saw during my visit would be lacking, since the people would know that they were living under the dictates of a foreign power with no interest in their welfare. It is because of this that many Iranians remain loyal to the cause of the Revolution. They understand what it has meant for them; even those too young to remember it know of the brutal oppression under which their parents lived.
Q: How do you think the West Asian region would look like without the Islamic Revolution brought about by Imam Khomeini?
A: That region of the world would look very different without the Revolution. Iran would have good relations with the United States, but to the detriment of its own people. Israel, a brutal, apartheid, Zionist entity would have no other nation to check its worst impulses; indeed, its behavior is unspeakable, but would be far worse without the counterbalance of Iran.
Today, because of the work of Imam Khomeini, Iran is able to assist its allies in their struggles against foreign oppression. He, and the government he ushered in, are an inspiration to people around the world.
Q: If the real image and thoughts of Imam Khomeini are shown impartially to the people in the West (especially in the US) how do you think they would react?
A: Western mainstream media, particularly that in the United States, seeks to demonize everything related to Iran. Western politicians and media pundits, who know little about Iran or Islam, and seem to have no interest in learning, wish to portray Imam Khomeini and all Iranian leaders as brutal and oppressive. This is to encourage the populace to support a war against Iran.
There is no just reason for this. However, US geopolitical goals are seldom just. The US seeks world hegemony, either directly or through its proxies, such as Israel, and portraying Imam Khomeini as a beloved figure who helped his people overthrow an oppressive, foreign-imposed government and replace it with one of their own choosing, is not in keeping with US goals for the Middle East.
It is ironic that the US is ever proclaiming its support for the self-determination of people everywhere, yet actively works to thwart that very principle around the world.
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