As part of an effort to restore diplomatic ties with Egypt, Tehran's city council recently agreed to rename Khaled Islambouli Avenue, a street named after the assassin of former Egyptian Prime Minister and peacemaker, Anwar Sadat. On one hand, this is a positive sign of increased openness to the ideas of peace and moderation. However, the street was renamed Intifada Avenue after the violent Palestinian uprising against Israel, and a likeness of Islambouli still adorns a downtown building.
This story reveals a great deal about the conflicting attitudes and interests at work in the Muslim world - reform is possible, but old hatreds, misguided prejudices, and support for terrorism are still the norm. The Muslim world needs changes more far-reaching than street signs; it needs moderate voices to dispel the prejudices and patterns that keep peace and prosperity out of reach.
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