As anyone who peruses these boards will know our literate but fundamentalist neighbourhood Islamist Steph thinks that Iran is a model democracy and far more democratic than the UK and America.
I thus it might be interesting for those who are somewhat sceptical about these claims to throw a little spotlight on Iran and what is happening in the paradise kingdom where everything is sweetness and light.
There are ongoing disturbances due to the snap decision to ration fuel to 100 litres a month for private motorists. This was imposed with no notice and led to huge riots and the bombing of many petrol stations. The reasons for this are:
• the insane pricing policy that means that fuel is sold at 8p a litre which is well below production costs
• The fact that Iran has to import 40% of its petrol because it has not invested in refining capacity. This is despite the fact that it has the second biggest oil reserves in the world (could not organise a piss up in a brewery comes to mind)
The rioters are of course called ‘Imperialist stooges egged on by the West’. The problem with this assumption is that the West knew no more about the sudden imposition of rationing than did the put upon people of Iran.
The inflation rate is 30% and living standards have fallen like a stone, leading to an exodus of the intelligentsia and skilled professionals to the West (mainly to the Great Satan as it happens).
Just over a 1/4 of University lecturers have either not had their contracts renewed or have been sacked in the past 2 years. The authorities have also introduced a strike system whereby any student who participates in political activity not deemed as acceptable by the authorities has 2 warnings and is then dismissed for a repeat offence (better than Saudi Arabia where they would end up in jail I guess).
The morality police are still continuing their ‘Campaign’ to prevent poor moral practices. This mainly means they are arresting, beating and harassing women whose dress is not seen as ‘Haram’ (Islamic enough) or, as seems to be one of the deadly sins in male Islamist eyes, showing any of their hair.
The Iranian television system is of course showing its usual fair and balanced reporting and its news report on the terrorist attacks in London and Glasgow stated that the main suspect is the British state itself, the state evidently did this in order to distract Muslims anger over the knighthood for Salman Rushdie (I do not jest). This is probably believed by the 25% of UK Muslims who believe that the tube and bus bombings in London were carried out by the Government and various flat earth Guardianistas who are always ready to believe every conspiracy theory involving the government.
If the Islamic paradise on earth Iran is such a shithole, why on earth do Islamists want a Muslim state in the UK?
Could anyone with more than 2 functioning brain cells tell me?

Many good points there Louis. I think the thing that does it for me is the non-separation between politics, the law and religion.
Once there is a hard line Islamic regime it is virtually impossible for the people that live within it to get rid of it if they so wish.
Therefore there is no real democracy. I am not an Islamic scholar but I have never heard of anybody extolling the democratic virtues of the religion.
Here if we dont like the regime we have the chance to oust it. Not available in Iran I would suggest.