Many years ago I was nursing in London. At the time, I was working in the private sector as a trained Intensive Care Nurse. I was also qualified in Mental health Nursing and General Nursing (i.e. I was RMN, RGN and ENB 100 qualified). Having worked at some of the top NHS hospitals I had moved into the private sector to allow me freedom to follow my dream of being a being a freelance journalist, whilst working a a volunteer with refugees, asylum seekers and the homeless in Hackney. I tell you this not to promote myself as some kind of ’saint’ but as background so you will better understand where I am coming from and give some substance to what I am about to say.
At this time the Iran–Iraq War, also known as the Imposed War and Holy Defense in Iran, and Sadd?m’s Q’disiyyah in Iraq was in it final brutal stages. Many young men with horrible wounds from both countries were being treated in London hospitals, mainly the Cromwell and the Wellington Humana. Generally, the Iranians were treated in the Wellington Humana and the Iraqi’s in the Cromwell, if my memory serves me correct. Obviously, this was to minimise the conflict spilling over into London (how ironic that now seems after the 7/7 London suicide atttacks and the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan following 9/11).
These unfortunate young men (many were barely out of their teens, some were still teenagers) had horrific injuries, including chemical burns and lung damage form gas munitions used by both sides. They came to London because the oil wealth that Iran and Iraq had could pay for the private treatment from some of the world’s best hospitals. I am proud of British nurses, doctors and others who cared for these young men and their families. We gave them the very best care available, though many no doubt returned to their countries bitter and disillusioned to who knows what kind of lives.
Now, my personal experience of both Iranians and Iraqis was how much alike they were and how sad that though all Muslims, because generally speaking they were divided by either being Shia or Sunni they were unable to see how much they had in common. The war was a complete and utter waste of human life, talent and of vast wealth. It is estimated that 1.5 million died or were wounded in the war, including thousands of civilians. The financial cost is estimated at around US$1.2 trillion at the time, with the long-lasting effects adding to that. In addition, one has to remember the effect upon the West’s relations with the Arab World, the resulting wars with Iraq, the rift between Iran and the West and the economic impact on the world’s exconomy, particularly regarding oil prices, not to mention the ongoing legacy of environmental damage.
However, in both Iran and Iraq, the war is still seen in different light than in the West and it has profoundly radicalised Iran in particular. we can see this today with the current problems there. The majority of its people don’t remember the war at all, either because they were too young at the time or not even born. They have no recollection of life under the corrupt Shah and so they see the current leadership out of touch with the aspirations and dreams of the youth. They see, via the web, the rest of the world enjoying freedoms undreamed of in Iran and how other young people around the world, not just westerners, but Arabs too in places like Qatar and Egypt are enjoying more freedom, personal if not political. This, I believe, is at the root of the current problems.
Even after the was had ended and the flood of wounded young men became a trickle i to London hospitals, the Iranians still sent people to be treated in the UK. However, instead of young men wounded in battle, these were now the elite of their society. These tended to be politicians, wealthy business men or religious officials. This lead me to an interesting experience. I was, for a while, the personal nurse of the Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Golpaygani (1898-1993). He was born in Gogad village, near the city of Golpaygan, Iran. He was taught preliminary studies by his father, Mohammad Bagher. At the age of 9, his father died, and he moved to Golpaygan to continue his studies. At the age of 20, he moved to Arak to study under Grand Ayatollah Haeri Yazdi. After Haeri Yazdi and Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Khansari founded the hawza of Qom, he moved there and delivered lectures in the Islamic Seminary.
I looked after him until he died for several months, initially in a private suite at a London hospital, then at the house of a prominent Muslim businessman in London before he returned to the hospital, where he died. This was an interesting time and experience for me, particularly as I am a devout Christian! I had many conversations about the Koran, the Bible, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Jesus and the Prophets. More than once the family (and their accompanying mullahs) offered me a job running a hospital in Iran, complete with a ‘good Muslim wife’! However, I was recently married and very happy living in England.
Amongst the entourage accompanying the Grand Ayatollah were some doctors and I got to know them quite well, drinking tea with them, discussing life in Iran and the effects of the Revolution. Because of the current situation I feel I cannot speak totally frankly about everything, but I would like to make the following points:
- Iranian people are very friendly and hospitable… even the mullahs and the Grand Ayatollah and his family were nothing but courteous, polite and friendly.
- They respected my personal religious views… amazing when you think that I was a Christian looking after the intimate needs of one of the highest-ranking religious leaders of the Muslim world at that time!
- There was a sort of pervasive sadness affecting both Iranians and Iraqis whom I met, whatever age, position or background. I believe this was a result of the war between their two nations. Their religious culture also tended to make them fatalistic… something I saw when looking after other patients from the Arab world.
Finally, my sincere hope is that change will come to Iran, change for the better but that it will come peacefully. Whether the political elite will allow that to be the case remains to be seen. My fear is that they will make the same mistake as the Shah and we will see a period of violent upheaval and instability… something that I think we all want to see avoided.
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