Lisa Teasely, a reader at Amazon, described Majd’s book so well when she wrote:
There is a calm centeredness to THE AYATOLLAH BEGS TO DIFFER… I highly recommend Hooman Majd’s book for readers who prefer their political and cultural literature written with a masterful sense of balance and wisdom, rather than justification, finger-pointing, and reactionary doctrine.
Precisely. I would just add that this book is also full of wit. Majd is a storyteller – and his stories lead us along Iranian streets, into homes and offices, taking us for a very personal tour that transcends all the polemics about Iran and lets us meet the people who live there, the powerful and not, on their own terms.
For, as he points out at the beginning of The Ayatollah Begs to Differ:
If we cannot understand the depth of feeling in the Muslim world toward Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Islam as a political force, then we will be doomed to failure in every encounter we have with that world. True, the secular and intellectual classes we most come into contact with from that world are much like us, and often they would like us to believe that their countrymen would like to be too, but they makeup a small percentage of the Muslim population on the planet and spend as little time with those who are in the majority of their countries as we do. But Iran and its Islamic society (or even Islamic democracy) are the adversarial powers we have to face in the coming years, and to understand Iran, we have to understand Iranians.
An Iranian who was raised in the US and lives in New York, a secularist who is deeply drawn to the rituals of Ashura (and tips us off that those chains do “hurt!”), a relative of former president Khatami who understands and explains the appeal of current president Ahmadinejad, Majd does not so much bridge Western and Iranian culture for his readers as invite us into the heart of his homeland.
The tales which Majd tells charm as well as inform. His view shifts from parties amongst the westernized elites to the beliefs and patriotism of the working class. His ability to view Iran from both perspectives is one we rarely have a chance to encounter – and Majd is a gifted guide who honors the diversity of Iranians as well as the unifying cultural foundations of Iran.
And central to those foundations are the beliefs of Shia Islam. It is hard for Americans, with so little exposure to Islamic thought and belief, even less to Shia belief, to understand how deeply the loss of Iman Hussein 1400 years ago still colors the emotional core of believers and how it calls to Iranians as a framework for living and being in the wider world today. One of the gifts of this book is the author’s ability to introduce those beliefs – and the pull they have for believers – with respect and honor but also with a very entertaining curiosity.
In the continual American portrayals of Iran as ultimate enemy, it’s often hard to remember that the Iranian government is democratically elected – and Majd’s book makes it quite clear that democracy has deep popular roots in Iran. But as former president Khatami says in one of their meetings, it is not necessarily “our” democracy:
“Democracy in the West is shaped by their culture, by their history and in Iran we have our own culture and history, and our democracy will be shaped in accordance with our culture.”
Democracy means the government is chosen by the people and they have the power to change it if they are unhappy, but Islam is one of the foundations of our culture, and it will influence our democracy. Of course Islam must adjust to democracy as well.”
Our continual expectation – and often demand – that other nations and peoples do it our way, is clearly not going to work if we wish to establish a sustainable relationship with Iran. As Majd points out:
The Iranian revolution of 1979 was a clear rejection of non-Iranian political concepts, and although rage and animosity toward the United States in its aftermath were consequences of this, it was hardly understood that the real fear of Iranians at the time was that the United States, the most powerful country in the world, would simply not allow a political system to develop that didn’t mirror its own. What the Iranians were saying, in effect, was: “Leave us alone, and if you don’t, we’ll find ways to make your life miserable.” Almost thirty years later, the Iranians, although seemingly more “moderate” in the eyes of the West, are still saying the same thing.
The more we understand about Iranians – and their wish to do it their way, the more we will be able to forge a relationship that leads away from the disastrous clashes of recent years. Hooman Majd has given us a very valuable guide to doing just that. This is a book that deserves attention from all of us who wish to understand our world and find better ways to live within it.
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Hooman, Welcome to the Lake.
Siun, Thank you for Hosting today’s Book Salon.
Thank you, Siun. I’m excited to be participating in this live chat.
Hooman
What an honor to have you here Hooman – and to get to read your new book.
Before we dig into some of the issues I’m sure our readers will raise, I wanted to say that I laughed so often while reading, it’s a real pleasure to read!
So much on the Iran and Islam that we have access to removes the personal, the human – you have certainly given us a much better view!
Can you tell us a bit about how often you are in Iran? You clearly have strong ties there as well as here.
Thanks again, Siun. It’s most definitely my pleasure. It always great to be able to get across a somewhat different view, or at least a view the media rarely gives us, of another culture. And I’m glad you laughed….it’s important, in my opinion, to be able to chuckle at the human condition.
I think one of the really serious mistakes we make here in the US is this idea that somehow ‘we’ know what ‘democracy’ is…and that other people do not. That there is only one model for ‘democracy’. Would Americans recognized Iranian democracy when they see it? What would Iranian democracy look like?
I think you’re absolutely right. Our notion of democracy has evolved, hasn’t it, since the founding of our country. Even forty years ago we would not have imagined that one day we might have a black president, or gays hoilding elective office. I think Iranian democracy will evolve too, without interference from us, but it may never look exactly as ours. But I think we might be able to recognize it as a form of democracy, at the very least.
Mr Majd, welcome to FDL this afternoon. I have not had an opportunity to read your book but I find this quote that Siun has above quite telling:
We in the US seem to have a mental block where democracy is fine as long as the end result is what we wish to see happen, otherwise, it is to be ignored. Unfortunately, there are far too many examples of this.
How do we educate the US that what we do is maybe not the best path for other countries and cultures? Or do you think it is even possible to educate the US people and politicians?
This is a really extraordinary book. I would recommend it to anyone in our new Administration who will be involved in shaping America’s new approach to Iran. I was amazed at the candor and insight the author brought to his subject, one he clearly loves and yet can communicate so well to other outsiders. You have a true gift for bridging cultures, Mr Majd. I hope this effort won’t be your last in this regard.
I would like to know — how has your book has been received by its subjects? Do you expect it will be translated and published in Iran? Have any of those you wrote about read it?
I particularly enjoyed your illumination of the generational/revolutionary divide through consumption of mind-altering substances. This thread throughout the book was amazing — and all the cigarette smoking too!
Thank you so much for this wonderful book.
That’s perhaps what’s most striking in your book – and which folks really have to read it to appreciate – that you show us the little details, the jokes and day to day concerns, whether its the price of tomatoes or the problems getting stolen mercedes licensed – that make up people’s days. And when we learn of those, we start to see that – as an Iraqi friend likes to remind me, we are all just *people!*
Welcome Hooman.
How “deep” is democracy in Iran if a group of clerics is the arbiter of who gets to run for national office. IIRC, at the last election, the clerics severely paired down the list. We in the West would have a difficult time acknowledging that as democracy. (Critique us for using money as a barrier to office in your answer if you like. But if you use that analogy, please compare & contrast. Both are barriers, but of very different sorts.)
Good question! I wondered if our guest might no longer be invited to certain parties … hmmmm?
I think it is definitely possible to educate Americans and the politicians. Of course they must want to learn, and fortunately people are a little more curious now, particularly after the Iraq fiasco. There’s nothing wrong with us wanting to viewed as great country with a great political system, but we have to be aware that what we hold dear may not be the case with every other country. I think curiousity has to be encouraged among the youth, and I think the Sarah Palin episode showed that Americans will no longer tolerate those who have little interest in the world outside of theirs in positions of power.
The little details are often the most telling, aren’t they?
To show you how little I know about Iran, I was amazed that there was a woman taxi driver! She was a widow, if I recall correctly. Would a still-married woman take a job like that, coming into contact with strangers (men) regularly?
Another question about democracy in Iran. As I understand it, foreign policy is the purview of the clerics (I guess that’s oversimplied, and if unfairly, let me know; or I may completely misunderstand), not under control of elected officials. Why is that?
I think you’re right, but it’s a bit more complicated than what you suggest. The Guardian Council does indeed vet candidates, but of the 1000+ candidates who registered to run, there were people who were underage (boys of fifteen and sixteen), old men who were illiterate, and of course those who claimed the reason they were running was because they were the Messiah (Mahdi). And then there were those who disagreed with the constitution of the republic. But there were certainly some twenty or so who were disqualified for ideological reasons, and shouldn’t have been. But I believe that will change, as many within the system are working to stop the abuse of power by the clerics (including some of the clerics). Eight candidates ultimately did run, form widely different political backgrounds, so there definitely was a choice.
Oh yes…..many women work in all kinds of fields. When you land at the airport in Tehran, there are female immigration and customs officers, in the city you see female sanitation workers and firewomen (and policewomen), and taxi drivers, some of whom are married with children.
Foreign policy is under the Supreme Leader’s control, yes. But elected officials, particularly the president, have an important say in policy. The SL listens and takes advice from different quarters….and can be persuaded to implement a new policy. That was the case with Khatami who persuaded him to suspend enrichment, for example, or to normalize ties with Great Britain.
In the upcoming elections, does it look like Khatami will run again? He is certainly an interesting figure and presents that balance.
Thanks so much for your comments. The Iranian authorities have my book, but I doubt if it will be translated and published in Iran. So far I have not received any negative remarks, but I suppose I will when people get around to reading it (after first having it translated)! But I don’t expect it to cause me any problems in my travels to Iran.
The most important thing your book does, in my opinion, is present conflicts within entities we in the West think of as monolithic, e.g. the clerics; the Westernized Iranians; the lower class whence cometh Ahmedinijad; those still around Khatani. The nuances you portrayed are very subtle, and extremely helpful to an American reader.
Have you thought about writing a book like this about America for an Iranian audience?
I’m in Iran as often as I can be! I spent a few months living there in 2007, but I was also there in August and September of this year. I expect I’m there for a few weeks in every year…..
ECahn might also be interested in the selection process for the Supreme Leader which I had not understood before – that process does have popular involvement if I read correctly with the Council (I’m forgetting the right name for them!) being elected and then appointing?
Thank you for your answers at 17 and 19. Those kind of details are important for understanding the system, though for some of the easy disqualifiers, like youth or illiteracy, why don’t they just promulgate rules? That would be more transparent to us outsiders, and perhaps to insiders too.
Moving on, talk a little bit about the corruption of the clerics, and how that undermines their legitimacy (if it does), and if so, what is being done about it. Years ago I remember hearing that Rafsanjami became unimaginably wealthy while holding high office.
Iran has a significant number of women in the parliament too. Also the largest Jewish community in the Middle East, next to Israel of course.
30 years of the news showing death to America rallies and military parades on an endless loop whenever Iran is mentioned has not been good p.r.
-G
Khatami is still mulling over a run. He’s being pressured to run, by all sorts of other politicians who believe he has the best chance of defeating Ahmadinejad. Political parties aren’t well known or strong in Iran…it’s all about personalities. But the Iranian presidential campaign is short…only about six weeks, and campaigning prior to that is illegal, so he has some time to decide and to get a campaign together. My feeling is he will run, but won’t announce until sometime after February.
Thanks for asking for me. I’m vaguely aware of this process but know none of the details.
Hooman, welcome.
What to you consider to be the most widely held misperception of Iran by the US and vice versa?
-G
That’s why the Iranians claim to be democratic, and why the politicians say “the people” govern. Yes, the Assembly of Experts, a body chosen in an election (and anyone over the age of sixteen can vote), chooses, supervises, and can impeach the Supreme Leader. The last election was a year ago, and the next will be three years from now.
Isn’t the Israel-Palestinian conflict one of the biggest obstacles to US-Iranian relations? I would think if the so-called two state solution were implemented it would dramatically improve relations of the US with Middle Eastern countries.
That would be a great idea…..if I could get an Iranian publisher interested.
One of the problems with America’s view of Islam is that it’s largely colored by coverage of the most extreme elements, such as those that control Saudi Arabia and the Taliban. Unfortunately, Bush’s attack on and occupation of Iraq has given power to these very groups and made it difficult for more moderate ones to exist, much less have a voice. This is one reason why Bush is the best friend somebody like Osama bin Laden could have: His stupidity and cupidity helps bin Laden immensely.
That raises a whole host of questions for me. If political parties are weak, how do things get done in parliament? Coalitions of minor parties? Since the prime minister does not control either foreign policy or the backing of a strong party in parliament, how does he get anything done? Does it require reaching concensus, which, in my opinion slows down change considerably.
Some of the clerics are perhaps corrupt, or have engaged in corrupt practices. Rafsanjani is indeed the wealthiest man in the country, but he was from a wealthy family to begin with. Perhaps his being the president, and one of the most powerful men in the country enabled him, as it has Putin in Russia, to accumulate more wealth and his businesses to flourish. And yes, there is resentment, which is one reason he lost to Ahmadinejad last time. But I don’t think the corruption is as widespread as some claim, or is limited to clerics, who actually tend to live very simple lives for the most part. Other lay politicians have been corrupt.
How many people are in the Assembly of Experts, how many people run for election, and what kind of campaign or information is available to voters so they can make their choices?
And if I’m asking too many questions, let me know!
That Iran is a dictatorship and that Iranians are just waiting for someone to come along and rescue them from their government. Iranians’ primary misconception about the US may be that it only wants to subjugate all other nations.
It’s common knowledge now that Iran’s moderate elements begged Bush not to “help” them as being linked to him would hurt them greatly. Would Obama be able to make open efforts on behalf of any Iranian political figures without hurting their cause?
Perhaps a good analytical way to regard corruption in Iran is relative to corruption in other countries at roughly the same stage of economic development, which is what your Russian comparison reminded me to do. Thank you.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is indeed an obstacle to improved ties with Iran. I think if we got serious about brokering a real peace, it would help. Iran would like to be involved in that process, since they support Hamas, but my question is, why not?
I think President Obama has to be extremely careful when it comes to Iran, and not appear to be in any way “interfering” in their domestic affairs.
Good point. I also think we need to shift our view of fundamentalism. For example, our sometimes guest, Mohammed Ibn Laith from Iraq would describe himself as a fundamentalist and yet he works intensely for women’s rights and the protection of Christians in Mosul and others. We have a very cartoonish picture … and Mr. Majd’s book is a very good corrective for that. When you read of the diversity of opinions amongst even the leading clerics, the view shifts a lot.
I can’t remember offhand the number in the Assembly, but they are usually well-known figures who get a lot of press coverage, and they publish their opinions all the time. Some of the hard-line clerics who wanted to gain control of the Assembly last time around lost.
Yes, there are coalitions formed. People who run for parliament again tend to emphasize their personal views, not a party. And there is no prime minister, just a president. But parliament can act quite independently, as it did when it impeached a minister last week.
You make it sounds like there’s more diversity of opinion in Iran than in the U.S.!
A drive by. I am putting your book on top of my to get and read list. From the introduction, it sounds as intriguing and beguiling an offer into Iranian homes as few are ever offered. My belief is that travel broadens the traveler’s horizons like no other education is able. Second best, is travel of the imagination, guided by a master storyteller in a book. Word of laughter betrays such a guide.
As a resident of Europe, another perspective on social organization is quite apparent. A vibrant democracy can be headed by a king, constituted, and no ill effect, even better for the having as it removes the ability of politicians to presume sovereignty, so much the detriment of the U.S: of late. Democracies come in many shapes and sizes, all effective ones are custom made to those who use them. Given a fair chance, I believe Islam and Democracy are truly made for each other, and It looks like the Iranian experience is on its way to prove that.
Indeed. I just wrote a long article for GQ on the Jewish community in Iran….comes out in the Feb issue, I think.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assembly_of_Experts
Ah … I’ll be looking for that and we’ll have to link to it when it comes out.
Btw, I misspoke above in describing Mohammed Ibn Laith as a fundamentalist – just been told by a mutual friend that he would prefer “moderately conservative reformer” which perhaps points to how skewed the perspective from here can be.
I agree. It’s funny, one of my best friends (born and bred American from the midwest) once said to me he wished we had a Supreme Leader in the US. I think he was really frustrated with Bush, Cheney et al, and of course he was joking, but if the SL’s role evolves, as many want it to, there’s no reason that Iran cannot be Islamic and democratic at the same time. It is already more democratic than some of the secular Arab states.
The importance (or centrality) of Shia belief in shaping the Iranian culture is so striking … and one we have no sense of here. The core beliefs in the coming of the mahdi and how a people who lose also win … I know that the first time I saw videos of an Ashura march, all I could think was “we will never ever defeat these people”
Why do you call that a misconception? The Project for the New American Century and Rebuilding America’s Defenses, shows clearly what the government/military complex wants.
Does the average citizen know that the US is running covert operations within Iran? How censored is the internet within Iran? I would imagine that the same situation exists within Iran, as it does within the US..the gap between what is learned on the internet as opposed to what appears on TV and radio.
The US is a federal constitutional republic; not a democracy. Bush etc. like to say they are spreading democracy. Funny that, when it does not exist in the US.
I was born and bred in the midwest as well (great planes midwest)
A counterfactual, if you’d care to speculate. Where would Iran be today if the U.S. hadn’t overthrown Mosaddeq? What I’m trying to get at is blowback, that is do you think the country became more welcoming of religious leadership as a means of getting rid of the shah? Would the country have been more secular if it had been continuous a democracy since 1953?
Well, I think that it’s not always the case. I mean, I think Jimmy Carter didn’t necessarily believe in subjugating other nations, and I don’t believe President Obama will intend to either. I do think the current administration very much believed in it as US foreign policy. “You’re either with us or with the terrorists.” Iran’s answer was “No, we’re with neither.”
The internet is censored in Iran. But you can read the Jerusalem Psot on-line, which shocks some people. Most Iranians get around the censorship by using proxies, and the government knows this. I have surfed the inetrnet quite freely in Tehran.
The average citizen does know about the US operations, soft and hard, against their country by the US. But they’re hoping that will change with the new administration.
Talk a bit about the post war baby boom, how that influences the economy, government policy, and what will happen as they age. Are they also having large families?
It’s always hard to say, and it would be pure speculation, but yes, I think the country would likely be a more secular country if Mossadeq hadn’t been overthrown. That said, the clerics always had great power in Iran, and if the government had become too secular, i.e. ignored Islam completely, then I think there still might have been a revolution. It wasn’t about the bars or the liquor sales or even the hijab; it was that the Shah had completely lost touch with his people, and no longer recognized that they were Shia. And he believed importing Western culture wholesale would work…
They are not having large families at all…..and in fact the government has all sorts of family planning initiatives (including free condoms, free vasectomies, etc.). But the youth of Iran will definitely shape the future, and the government is keenly aware of the fact. That is why those who believe in an Islamic democracy, emphasis on democracy, are still optimistic for the future.
Toward the end of the book (and I really recommend getting a copy and reading!) there was a great section on this:
After the first round of UN sanctions on Iran, I was talking to a couple of senior Iranian officials. One of them asked me: “Do the Americans think they can intimidate us? Do they really think we are afraid, or that they can scare us? We all fought in the Iraq war, spent months in the trenches, saw our brothers killed….we will never do anything out of fear.”
Your description of Iranian youth, hanging out at the Bobby Sands Hamburger joint is priceless – and an image more Americans need to see.
Oh yes. Iranians view the UN sanctions as political, and as another attempt by the West to force it’s opinion on Iran.
The inherent arrogance with which we Americans see the world – as if we are not only the most powerful country but inevitable always the “winner” leads to so many of our problems. For example, the idea that Iraqis need young US recruits to “train” their military when they – and Iran – have fought such a long and horrific war not so long ago.
Worse still, I listened to Kermit Roosevelt’s memoir. IIRC, it was written in 1981, 2 years after the Iranian revolution. Kermit describes the overthrow as a great romp. There is no sign of remorse, no acknowledgement of the blowback. One of the many occassions on which my teeth got ground down more.
I have ordered the book and look forward to reading it.
I agree….I wish TV crews that go to iran wouldn’t just try and film the most sensationalist aspects of Tehran. It’s almost like an Iranian TV crew coming here and only going to the rodeo, or to a megachurch in Texas, and representing that as “America and Americans.”
Could you say a bit about “haq” and the way “rights” factors into the nuclear dispute?
Make sure to stop by again when it comes out.
-G
I think now most people recognize what a mistake that was, and the other mistakes like getting into bed with the Wahhabis. But I can’t blame Kermit….he must have enjoyed it and it was a time when playing James Bond in exotic countries was the privilege of the upper class. I think attitudes have changed so much since his generation faded away. Well, I hope.
Iran started trading in Euro dollars for oil and we all know what happened when Iraq did the same thing. I think that worries of a nuclear Iran is a smoke screen. It is all about Iran’s oil and who controls the price.
If Iran is attacked by the US, or Israel, what does Russia and China do in retaliation of an attack on their huge trading partner? That is a question that we need to hope does not get answered.
Before retiring, one question, in your experiences do you notice that there is an almost unique mindset with Americans (in general), in that almost everything is divided in two in their perceptions, either/or, black/white, one/other, for/against, etc. etc. almost to the exclusion of the possibility of any spectrum or complexity of issue?
Heh. Not so sure such U.S. scenes wouldn’t have been representative, at least for the last 8 years. Gotta include NASCAR, though.
Yes, of course. Iranians and Shias have always viewed themselves as being persecuted oppressed….the Shias as the Muslim minority ever since the inception of the faith, and Iranians as a weak nation for several hundred years. The concept of “rights” is at the core of Shiism….the “rights” of the Shia saints to rule Islam was denied them, and Iranians view anything that diminishes their rights as illegal and something that should be resisted. Since Iran, as a signatory to the NPT and a member of the IAEA has the absolute right to enrich uranium, one will have a very hard time convincing them that they should give up that right just because we say so.
Precisely. And Kermit had the imprimatur of the entire Eisenhower Administration as well at the power-that-be in the U.K.
Not so sure it’s changed. CIA is pretty out of control, again with full force of administration egging it on. No longer upper class playboys, but just as dangerous.
Citizens don’t start wars..governments do.
Thank you. Unless we understand that, we will constantly be on the wrong path v-a-v Iran and nuclear issues.
I don’t think we as Americans have ever been particularly good at nuance. We do like the straightforward and the uncomplicated, our presidential candidates like to talk about how “straight” they are. (Straight talk express?) But Iranians, and some other cultures, are all about nuance.
No one ever mentions that Iran is in complete compliance with IAEA rules, with hot & cold running inspectors all over the place. In order to make a bomb they’d have to throw out the inspectors. Now that would give quite a signal to the rest of the world! Enough advance warning to do something.
Nice of you to put the enrichment situation in the broader context of “rights” related to the history of Shia. Helps me understand the depth of feeling better.
Would Iran still be willing to do the “grand bargain” that they presented to the U.S. thru Switzerland in 2003 or 2004?
Nuance doesn’t lend itself to 10 word sound bites or bumper sticker “solutions”
I think it’s almost impossible now for there to be an attack on Iran. But Iran would retaliate in a significant way, and I don’t think the Russians or the Chinese would do much. They wouldn’t really need to, other than to support Iran morally and condemn the US or Israel.
Thank you so much, Nuance is so much more colourful, like a persian miniature painting. ;-)
I think that because of the lack of response in 2003, and the fact that Iran is so much farther ahead in terms of technology, there could very well be another grand bargain floated by either side, but the terms will have to be a little more favorable to Iran this time.
You might be right. But I’m hopeful that the new administration will signal a change.
It is that “almost’ that worries me. Bush isn’t gone yet!
And we wonder why the carpets are so dense and complex!
Does it depend on the outcome of the Iranian election?
No, you’re right. But I would venture to say that he may be the only commander-in-chief in our history who, if he issues a military order between now and January 20th, might actually be disobeyed.
yep – many of us will not relax at all until Inauguration Day. Lets hope we can relax a little then!
To some degree. The Supreme Leader has said he’s not against the idea of relations with the US (and actually conservatives and reformers alike would like to have relations with the US), but it won’t be easy to convince the SL to compromise too much.
What will the impact of falling oil prices be for Iran? I understand that the underlying (nonoil) economy is quite weak. What kind of unrest might ensue if govt does not have the cushion of high oil prices? Also, I’ve read that sanctions have resulted in a deterioration in Iran’s oil industry. Is that accurate?
If I could add on a further question? Are the sanctions hurting in day to day life? Food supplies, etc?
The impact of falling oil prices will be felt. The economy has been mismanaged by the present administration, and the government went on a massive spending spree when oil went above what they had planned their budgets for. But Iran has huge foreign reserves, and with a little belt tightening I think they’ll weather the storm. It does not bode well for Ahmadinejad, though, in the coming elections, if oil continues its slide. Khatami managed the economy quite well with oil at below $20 a barrel. Sanctions have also had their effect, of course.
Oh, yes, we couldn’t let this Q go unasked: Is Cheney’s former company, Halliburton, doing business in Iran, now that they have relocated HQ outside the U.S.?
The sanctions aren’t hurting in terms of shortages, but in terms of inflation and in terms of jobs (unemployment), and in terms of investment, both foreign and domestic, in the economy. People realize that, and many blame Ahmadinejad not for resisting the call to suspend enrichment, but for using the kind of rhetoric that enabled the US to convince other countries to go along with unilateral or UN sanctions. Again, does not bode well for his re-election chances.We have our own George Bush in Iran. In more ways than one might imagine.
Glad to hear about the foreign reserves. All too often trees are projected to grow to the sky and spending exceeds even huge revenue increases.
Also didn’t know that Khatami did well with the economy. That is good to learn. U.S. should hope he runs again & is elected? Iran too?
We need just one like Major Gen Smedley Butler. How sad it is that we have Bush taking over American freedoms etc..a silent coup..just like his grampa Prescott tried.
I am sure that the secrets that are held at all military levels would terrify all of us. But, we need to hear some fast if Bush gives the order to attack, or allows Israel to.
Cheney is not well liked in Iran – there is a wonderful speech quoted in the book that would make us all proud.
Hooman,
Thank you for your graciousness at answering all my Qs. I look forward to reading your book.
I’m off for now. Thanks again.
I was at a luncheon with Iran’s foreign minister in the summer. He said at the lunch, to a group of senior American reporters from the major media outlets, that US companies are doing business in Iran today. He declined to name them. So in answer to your question: I wouldn’t be surprised.
I’m hopeful! Iranians seem to still like him very much.
KRB was always selling to Iran and Iraq.
Mr Majd, one area that you write so well about is the whole question of women’s rights and hijab. We get so fixated here on the questions of the veil and perhaps miss the more important points. Your reminders of the Shah’s imposition of Western garb were startling to me.
Yes. Every feminist or female activist in Iran that I’ve ever spoken to has said we have to stop fixating on the trivial and focus more on the bigger issues. The hijab is the last thing Iranians worry about…they have far bigger fish to fry, and they’re frying them. They are working, with the support of some of teh clrics, to have Shah-era misogynistic laws repealed, and have been successful in advancing the cause of women rights in Iran. Hijab will eventually also be tackled, but it’s not a priority right now. We were thrilled that the burkha was eliminated as a law in Afghanistan (we love symbolism), but we were less concerned with whether that made a difference in women’s lives. Are women allowed to leave the house without the permission of their husbands or fathers? Would a women rather have that freedom, but have to wear a veil? These are questions only the culture itself can answer.
I think KRB would sell to anyone it can. And get away with it.
Yes! We in the west think the attacks nowadays on “immodest” women are shocking; just imagine how horrid it must have been for a pious woman to be attacked for her modest garb by the Shah’s enforcers!
We are nearing the end of our time – and before we end, I want to again say that this is a stunning book and a very enjoyable one. It shifts our view in important and needed ways – and will help us push for more productive policies in the future.
Thank you Hooman for your writing and for your time with us today! I hope you’ll keep us updated on further articles and books so we can enjoy those as well!
As we come to the end of this Book Salon,
Hooman, Thank you for stopping by the Lake today and spending the afternoon with us discussing your new book.
Siun, Thank you very much for Hosting this great Book Salon.
Everyone, this is an excellent book, if you haven’t bought one yet, there is a link above.
Thanks all.
Thank you so much for this wonderful book — please keep writing about Iran. Americans need to hear your stories so that we can better understand, and be understood by, this culture. You are clearly gifted in this role, and I hope you continue to bridge this large gap.
Thank you Siun, and everyone else for their very insightful questions and comments. I’ve truly enjoyed this…and yes, it was my hope in writing the book that Americans might come to understand Iranians just a little better. Hopefully, understanding leads to dialog, and dialog leads to peace.
Thank you Bev for once again bringing us a great title and author!
Forcing the hijab off women has its own blowback…to wit, Turkey.
Of course; especially when Cheney is the vp and gets those no bid contracts. And no oversight either.
Thanks again Bev and Siun and everyone for participating. I wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving next week….
Thanks you, Teddy…I intend to.
All the best, Hooman
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