Saturday, May 26, 2012


Persian Letters

What If Chile's Mining Accident Had Happened In Iran?

"In Iran, before the rescued miners could hug and kiss their female relatives, they would be forced to show their identity cards and prove that they're related and they would be lectured to by the authorities that it's not good to do these things in publi
TEXT SIZE - +
Iranian blogger Arman has some theories about what it would look like if miners had been trapped underground in the Islamic republic:

In Iran, the area would have quickly turned into a security zone, police forces would surround the area, and the news [that miners have been trapped] would have been denied.

While Iranian authorities are busy fighting against bad veiling and cultural invasion, it would have taken them several weeks to decide how to announce the news to the Iranian people so that citizens would not think that such incident are possible in the country of the Hidden Imam and the authorities would do all they could to blame the miners for the incident.

In Iran, after contacting the miners, the authorities would send them 33 copies of the Koran and a mullah would come to talk to them through the hole and tell them that it's the best time for them to think about the pressure of the grave and cleanse their soul. They would later create a telephone line for them through which they could find out how to live according to religious laws several hundred meters underground.

In Iran, Mr. Mohsen [the person in charge of the rescue operation] would say that in order to save money one bulldozer would be enough for the rescue efforts -- God knows how to keep people alive underground for many years -- and the rest of the money would be sent to our poor brothers in Lebanon.

Then on state television there would be constant thanking and praising of the president and other officials for doing what they could to save the miners, and their wife and children would be shown while crying in joy in meetings with the supreme leader and the president.

In Iran, only Fars news agency would be allowed to cover the rescue operations. They would report on state television that everything was going successfully, but unfortunately there has been a small problem that is being solved with the help of the authorities.

In Iran, on the rescue capsule it would be written "We can, Death to the U.S., Death to Israel" to upset them when it was shown on foreign media. They would let Mr. Mohsen who [knows little English] write the text and it would include three or four mistakes.

In Iran, before the rescued miners could hug and kiss their female relatives, they would be forced to show their identity cards and prove that they're related and they would be lectured to by the authorities that it's not good to do these things in public.

In Iran, the miners and their families would be told not to say anything that would be used by foreigners, they would be interviewed by state television, and before the interview they would be briefed on what to say.

Tags: mine accident

This forum has been closed.
Comment Sorting
Comments page of 2
    Next 
by: Anonymous
October 14, 2010 14:06
This is dead on. So sad but true.
In Response

by: David from: Ireland
October 15, 2010 21:25
Well done Anonymous ! Or should I say well done an anonymous RFE/RL staff !

by: Allen from: NYC
October 14, 2010 18:14
What a ridiculous article. Full speed ahead for the zionist demonization machine! Pathetic!

by: Ryan from: USA
October 14, 2010 18:44
I didn't know that summarizing the speculations of a random blog qualified as journalism these days.
In Response

by: Taher from: Slovakia
October 15, 2010 20:55
I am afraid "Persian Letters" is full of these unvarified nonsensical stuff with the aim of demonizing the Islamic regime and in the process the people of Iran in the eyes of Westerners. The sad things is, it is done by a so-called Iranian !

by: Laleh from: Isfahan
October 14, 2010 18:56
Aren't you being a bit disingenuous. A few years ago, there was a disaster, an earth quack in Bam, Iran with over 25,000 dead. What you can say about the infrastructure that could allow that to happen is one thing, but the Iranian government and support agencies response to that disaster was unmatched, open, transparent and organized by anything of that magnitude that has ever happened anywhere, including the Katerina disaster which to this date hasn't been addressed. The trapped miners in Chile were helped by three drilling companies, one from the US that brought a drilling equipment that opened the final passage. Inquiring about these drilling equipment to be transported to Iran would land you in jail in the US. I guess demagoguery has no bound in some circles.
In Response

by: Arash Irandoost from: Iran
October 14, 2010 23:31
Laleh, I was in Iran during BAM earthquake. If you can do your research you will find out that it took more than 3 days after the quake before an Islamic Republic made any public announcement regarding the unfortunate disaster. What is more, none of them expressed any sorrow or sympathized with victims families and loved ones who had survived. It was chaotic. Road were blocked for days. It was a big mess and Basij stole all the tents and blankets that were sent (specially) by the US for their personal use. In the age of instant media, technology and open communication, apologists like you can not get away with such blatant lies. Just visit BAM and see how much work has been done since the quake...also...while there take the bus to the other war torn corner of Iran ( a city called Khorramshahr) after 20 or so years of Iraqi invasion...it is still in ruins and remains of war still are visible in a city so beautiful that was the envy of Middle East.
In Response

by: Leyla
October 15, 2010 06:28
Rubbish, Laleh, Bam was a total disaster and $1.8 billion of relief funds from the Regime and NGOs was misappropriated by Housing Minister saeedikia with impunity. I visited Bam 6 months after the disaster and the survivors were still living in containers and the rubble hadn't been cleared.
In Response

by: Mohammad from: Tehran
October 15, 2010 13:22
Arash, this is not true. I remember the immediate noon after the earthquake (which happened at early morning) watching Khabar Channel which was discussing the earthquake.
You claimed that "none of them expressed any sorrow or sympathized with victims families and loved ones who had survived" This is not true. I wonder what agenda you have. I ask other readers to ask the Iranians they know and trust, about this issue to find out the truth.

Leyla, Saeedikia was not Housing Minister at the time of earthquake (2003). He became minister at Ahmadinejad's administration starting from 2005. Maybe you can point us at some reliable source for your claims.
In Response

by: Mining Engineer from: Iran
October 15, 2010 16:08
Stop spreading propaganda about Bam earthquake. Making political profits from miseries of others is what European nations are doing. According to UN Iran's response to earthquakes is one of the best in the world. Read UN reports. Ofcourse Iran is not as rich as EU because Iran has not been stealing from other continents for the last five centuries. Your propaganda is no more effective. EU better answer the questions regarding its complicity with Saddam against Iranian nation.
In Response

by: John from: San Francisco,CA
October 15, 2010 16:50
Laleh, natural disastars are much different from a mining accident. Mining accidents are usually the result of mining companies poor safety standards which put their employees in danger. Earthquakes are caused by techtonic plates shifting, unless they happen in Iran where they are caused by women not wearing headscarves. Do you see how this article is really showing you how absurd the Iranian governments reaction would be and how their paranoia is not helpful to the Iranian people? You and the rest of the decent Iranian citizans deserve better.

by: Ali from: NY
October 14, 2010 19:36
sounds about right. sad but true.

by: Anonymous
October 14, 2010 19:37
In Iran, they would blame the US and the Zionist for the accident and they would say that the Hidden Imam saved the miners

by: beej from: london
October 14, 2010 20:25
stupid article .. so not true

by: Dada from: Canada
October 14, 2010 20:36
Musing of losers. CIA sponsor journalism. You guys should be ashamed of your "Journalism"

by: Mining Engineer from: Iran
October 14, 2010 21:02
Another propaganda article from this site. At least get your scientific facts corrected before writing nonesense. Iranian mines are surface mines due to different geology of Iran. Such accident is not possible in surface mines. Also more people die in American mines per year than in Iran, so you better be writing about American miners than Iranian miners. Also stop stealing from other nations and waging wars around the globe. It would also be nice if your bloody continent give back all that they have stolen from other nations both in mining and otherwise back to the indigenous people. You should be acutely aware that the wealth accumulated in EU is all stolen from other nations in the last five centuries. The world knows what you are. A bunch of thieves and agitators who are upto no good, whether when you are writing (propaganda) or when you are waging wars for loot.

by: Steve from: U.S.
October 14, 2010 21:08
Don't forget, they would say that the West or Zionists regime were behind the cave in. And they have mine spies in custody and they will be tried for "acting against mining". And the mine spies have confessed after 99 lashes each.
Comments page of 2
    Next 

About This Blog

Persian Letters is a blog that offers a window into Iranian politics and society. Written primarily by Golnaz Esfandiari, Persian Letters brings you under-reported stories, insight and analysis, as well as guest Iranian bloggers -- from clerics, anarchists, feminists, Basij members, to bus drivers.

Guerrilla Translators

Seen anything in the Iranian blogosphere that you think Persian Letters should cover? If so, contact Golnaz Esfandiari at esfandiarig@rferl.org