That is to say, you have no intrinsic interest in Iran, and you have no independent opinion of your own about Iran* unless I happen to take a position on it? That's a strange way of going about politics. In contrast, Iran (both its domestic and international dimensions) is a long-standing interest of mine, about which I had posted often long before the election of Ahmadinejad. Everything, good, bad, ugly, taken into account, Iran -- dialectic of its regime and oppositions as well as its people, history, and culture -- overall has my favor.
Unlike your politics which appears to revolve around my opinion, my politics would be the same whatever your opinion is, although it wouldn't be exactly the same today if the USG hadn't so clearly refocused on the Middle East.
But even without the latest development of imperialism, Iran would be still important, in the same sense that several other countries -- due to their political economy, geography, history, and/or balance of social and political forces -- are of particular interest to the anti-liberal and anti-imperialist Left that must strive to check US hegemony in the interest of democracy and republicanism.
* Domestic Aspects of Iran
"Iran's Summer of Unrest," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2000/2000-July/013512.html>; "In Iran, More Women Leaving Nest for University," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2000/2000-July/013553.html> "Feminism, Islamism, Etc. (Valentine M. Moghadam & Bronwyn Winter)," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2001/2001-November/026399.html> "Queering Democracy in Iran," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2002/2002-June/014758.html> "An Islamic Utopian: A Political Biography of Ali Shari'ati," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2002/2002-November/027888.html> "Persepolis (by Marjane Satrapi)," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2003/2003-May/013323.html> "After-Images of a Revolution," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2003/2003-June/014881.html> "Thwarting Democracy in Iran and Guatemala," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2003/2003-November/028877.html> "Rakhshan Bani-Etemad," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2003/2003-December/029380.html> "A Few Underpinnings of the New Iranian Cinema," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2003/2003-December/029381.html> "Ahmad Mahmoud," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2004/2004-January/000812.html> "The Torturer's Art," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2004/2004-May/010868.html> "Lost in Translation," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2004/2004-June/012488.html> "Changing Sex, Changing Islam," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2004/2004-August/017370.html> "'Persepolis' Comic," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2004/2004-September/021765.html>
International Aspects of Iran
Regarding Arms and Men from Iran to Bosnia: <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/1999/1999-October/018166.html> <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2001/2001-December/028078.html>
Regarding Tehran's Overtures to Washington and Tel Aviv during the Khatami Administration: <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2001/2001-December/026961.html> <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2001/2001-December/026953.html>
"Chavez, Putin, Khatami," <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2002/2002-December/029107.html>
"Washington 'Painted Itself into a Corner' over Iran?" <http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2005/2005-May/010533.html> -- Yoshie