On September 26, 2008 the New America Foundations American Strategy Program hosted Hooman Majd to discuss his recent book, The Ayatollah Begs to Differ: The Paradox of Modern Iran.
The book is a critical, but affectionate portrayal of Iranian society pointing out similarities and differences between Iranians and Americans. Iranians are like Americans in that they are concerned about their economy, their livelihoods, and their politics. They do not wake up every morning thinking they are living under tyranny. What the Iranians are looking for is respect. Respect for them as a people and for them as an Islamic Republic. When the U.S. claims that they will talk with the Iranians on our terms at a place and time of our choosing those statements are disrespectful to Iran as a sovereign nation.
It is important to note that current sanctions against Iran are affecting that nation. Majd said China continually uses Iran as a market for its low-cost substandard goods. The housing market in Iran has typically been the primary economic sector of stability, but that is showing a slight downturn. However, that downturn is not the same as the housing crisis facing the U.S. Majd noted any sanctions against the Iranian central bank would be severely detrimental to the country.
Iranian attitudes toward the recent Russian invasion of Georgia showed Iranians supportive of Russia. Iranian leadership sees this as an opportunity. Iran is viewed as the only state standing in the way from Russia becoming a regional hegemonic power. It is in the U.S. interest to support Iran in order to prevent extension of Russian influence.
In the June 2009 election, there is an opportunity for the reformists to take control of the Iranian government. However, President Ahmadinejad is constantly showing himself as a world leader with trips to the UN, dinners with American scholars, and meetings with Iranian Americans. When Ahmadinejad recently spoke to the UN General embly he held a press conference after his speech where he only took questions from Arab and Iranian reporters so it would be easily accessible on news networks in the Middle East.
Finally, Majd discussed the issue of Iranian political activists. He noted that the worst measure the U.S. can take is to support reformists groups. Due to anti-American sentiment among parts of the Iranian population, when the U.S. supports something the Iranian people are less likely to follow.
Duration : 1:24:1
[youtube qRvs2jtuUrU]
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
I’m not saying that …
I’m not saying that the context of 50 yrs ago is relevant to todays, but that history has shown something to Iranians much different than the rhetoric expressed by current politicians.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
mogaye ke Imam e …
mogaye ke Imam e Khomeini goft marg bar America, dorost migoft.
When the uk occupied Iran’s Oil, they would also buy pieces of small land owned by poor rural villagers who farmed wheat. The english used the stolen oil and sprayed it along the fertilized farm lands, then took a match and burnt it to ashes. This action was deliberate, indiscriminate, and politically motivated, and many starved, many lineups for bread were over a miles length.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
خوش به حالت بچه …
خوش به حالت بچه آخوند!
گو فاک یورسلف دن!
….
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Iran begging for …
Iran begging for respect??? Mr Majd better stick to translation and not analysis. He has lived in US for such a long time he has no idea what respect means let alone what Iran is after.
He stands here as if Iranians are some egoistic, petty minded nation in need of western respect and approval. Why would any Iranian wish for a bunch of murderers and hoodlums to respect them. What Iranians want is for US and westerners to F****-off and leave ME alone.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
respect!
respect!
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
agreed with hogo.
…
agreed with hogo.
dadautube to ye oozgal eh nafam ie
i have studied these things, you have not.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
since the cudeta in …
since the cudeta in iran with was CIA and MI6 job wich over thrown president musaddegh who was elected by iranians and he was the only peresident who was elected 100% throw democracy and cia desteroy that and thats why they burned usa embassy after shah left and to this day they blame and hate usa for killing the democracy in iran,and also usa used shah as a poppet to still irans oil.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
to avicenna17400: …
to avicenna17400: yes dear, the world is not B&W surely, but guys like the fanatic rules in IRI or the retard conservatives in USA who are standing at extreme ends of the spectrum in their viewpoints over the world make the whole thing look b&w! and they leave others with no choice but to stand against them in a similar manner.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
come on everybody: …
come on everybody: are the American foreign policy, Israel’s religious/racist tendencies, EU’s old age hatred and opposition to America (after the former lost almost its entire colonies to the latter post WWII) as well as Russia or China and the rest of the world’s economical interests, and above all the oil cartels never satisfied hunger for international oil resources is truly against the existence of the IRI?
they’re all in it together! what they don’t want is an independent and free Iran.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
since when a bacheh …
since when a bacheh akhond wears a tie?
since when bacheh akhonds study abroad and speak or write in English or French or Mandarin and Russian and Hebrew too?
then STFU all of u evil SOBs!
please go to the same heaven you are inviting everybody to! go there and enjoy and never come back and let us live in our own happily ever after!!!
Ahmadinejad’s mother is a Jewish woman! he gets paid from Israel!
FU!
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
to hogo1502, listen …
to hogo1502, listen: people in Iran did not get their sons brothers fathers (as well as mothers sisters daughters) martyred for some retard mullahs to go kiss America’s Russia’s France’s Britain’s Israel’s or …’s eventually!!!
educate yourself kid: the Islamic revolution did not happen to end up like this!
“create lots of jobs back home” !!!!
i’m sure you don’t even know what the that means!
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
“a good mullah, is …
“a good mullah, is a dead mullah”, no matter what! same with a bacheh mullah and their entire kins!
you either don’t know what is going on in the world and particularly in Iran right now, or if you do and say sissy things like this it means only one thing: you get paid to support these mullahs and their bache`s! (if you don’t get paid for it already, then believe me you better do since it’s not worth defending these devil SOBs for free!)
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
what are u doing …
what are u doing abroad yourself “bacheh akhond” if i may ask?
since when IRI is gonig to lick America’s for creating jobs in Iran for the poor? with all the oil money these s spend on helping the hizbollah and others in Lebanon or Palestine and elsewhere; with all the money they are taking away for themselves and invest “abroad”, they could “bring oil money to people’s dinner tables” without even a need to ‘keeree-ate’ jobs dear!
now who’s the one to STFU?
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
(2)
… Iran’s …
(2)
… Iran’s economy and create lots of jobs back home.
At least these “bacheh akhonds” make an effort to improve the quality of life for ordinary Iranians back home.
so either SHUT UP or PUT UP YOURSELF
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
(1)
then SHUT UP !! …
(1)
then SHUT UP !!!
here is the problem with many Iranians I have met abroad: they’re a bunch of lazy sorry es, barking from far away the slogans of regime change and asking people back home to rise up while they themselves rather stay in their comfortable corner in the West !
If you don’t want want to listen to “bacheh akhond” then EITHER get the back and rid Iran of this regime or STFU because these “bacheh akhonds” are encouraging a US-Iran rapprochement, which would help Iran’s
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
(2)
… Iran’s …
(2)
… Iran’s economy and create lots of jobs back home.
At least these “bacheh akhonds” make an effort to improve the quality of life for ordinary Iranians back home.
so either SHUT UP or PUT UP YOURSELF
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
(1)
then SHUT UP !! …
(1)
then SHUT UP !!!
here is the problem with many Iranians I have met abroad: they’re a bunch of lazy sorry es, barking from far away the slogans of regime change and asking people back home to rise up while they themselves rather stay in their comfortable corner in the West !
If you don’t want want to listen to “bacheh akhond” then EITHER get the back and rid Iran of this regime or STFU because these “bacheh akhonds” are encouraging a US-Iran rapprochement, which would help Iran’s
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
I really appreciate …
I really appreciate to have an educated and intelectual representative from my country, whose able to engage to a logical discussion and coversation. Some of the people commenting on this video mistakenly think that ignoring the issues already existing in Iran or accusing a logical person as “bacheh Akhond” can resolve Iran’s problem. If they had any knowledge of the subject, the best strategy is to start a conversation, objecting “Bacheh Akhond”‘s opinion, vs. nonsense B.S.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
i am not going to …
i am not going to listen to this bacheh akhound! avazi ! he is nokar akhound ha
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
The world is not …
The world is not black and white. Are you such an extremist that you cannot see that?
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
this guy is a …
this guy is a bachehe akhoond in a Ralph Lauren suit…. A mullah is a mullah with a suit or with a towel on the head…
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
This guy is great.
This guy is great.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
A good conversation …
A good conversation .. thanks