Ask an Iranian anything!

[Cyrus]

Were you educated in western schools? Your use of the English language is better than many Americans.

No but I've taken English classes but what taught me English was the Internet.

When you spend enough time on forums/boards/chatrooms you will become perfected in English. I also visit a popular Iranian imageboard with alot of Iranian expats on it and all of them speak English, I don't think I should link that here though because there's too much crazy content there.

[Cyrus]

Hi Cyrus, and welcome!

What did you think of Obama's silence during the 2009 Iranian uprising, and the death of Neda Agha-Soltan?


And a less serious question:  One Iranian author I'm fond of is Firoozeh Dumas (lives in US now).  Have you heard of her?  

Hi Karin hopefully I can answer these questions in a non-biased and professional way.

What did you think of Obama's silence during the 2009 Iranian uprising

Geopolitically speaking we must view this in two different ways:
1. Obama felt that the protests were too small and did not want to upset the IRI.
2. Obama felt that intervention would cast a bad light upon America.

Most likely a mixture of the two, personally I think that Obama should stop saying he supports "reform", Iranians don't care about "reform", they want to stop being an Islamic Republic, all of those Iranians who protested in 2009 didn't care about Moussavi or Ahmadinejad, they were against the entire system, only a minority actually cared about Moussavi.

Here's a good video comparing pro-regime rallies to anti-regime rallies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W_0RzAkMAA

the death of Neda Agha-Soltan?

Very stupid decision that sniper made.

And a less serious question:  One Iranian author I'm fond of is Firoozeh Dumas (lives in US now).  Have you heard of her? 

No, sorry.

[chitownchica]

Hi Cyrus,
Welcome!  I've known several people from Iran over the years, and have been quite taken with their friendliness and warmth. I look forward to hearing more from you.

[Gina]

How come Iranian's keep electing that crazy guy "I'madinnerjacket"?

[Cyrus]

Hi Cyrus,
Welcome!  I've known several people from Iran over the years, and have been quite taken with their friendliness and warmth. I look forward to hearing more from you.

Thanks chitownchica!

[Erasmus]

How widely is taqiyya practiced in the Islamic world?  To the extent you interact with American muslims, how often is it practiced here in the US?

Also, do you see a unification of sunni and shiite muslims in the near future, as it seems Iran and various factions across the middle east would like to have one giant caliphate.

[Cyrus]

How come Iranian's keep electing that crazy guy "I'madinnerjacket"?

His name is Ahmadinejad.

Ahmadi (of Ahmad) nejad (race/look): Ahmadinejad means race of Ahmad.

Why electing him? Well to some he may be crazy but to poor Iranian villagers his economic help to them may be well suited, to fashionable youngsters he may be despised, to older peoples maybe he is liked a little more.

[Gina]

What did you think of the treatment of Ghadaffi by the rebels before he was killed?

[Cyrus]

How widely is taqiyya practiced in the Islamic world?

All Arabs practice taqiyya because it's part of their culture and their heritage. This isn't practiced by non-Arabs though in my opinion.

To the extent you interact with American muslims, how often is it practiced here in the US?

I don't interact with American Muslims but Arab-Americans most likely practice it as well. When I say Arab-Americans I mean Christian, Muslim, and even Atheist Arabs, because all Arabs are unified under a common culture which is derived from Islam, Islamic culture is proto-Arab.

Also, do you see a unification of sunni and shiite muslims in the near future, as it seems Iran and various factions across the middle east would like to have one giant caliphate.

No, that would never happen: Arabs hate Iranians, Kurds hate Arabs, Turks hate Arabs, Kurds hate Turks, Persians hate Arabs, Pakistanis hate Pashtuns, Pashtuns hate Tajiks, an so forth. Also, Islam is dying amongst Iranians because Iranians are becoming more nationalist under the IRI, the more culturally nationalist an Iranian becomes the more they hate Islam. The only people in the Middle East that define themselves firstly by religion are Arabs, because they are the root of Islam, on the otherhand it would be tough to convince an Iranian or a Turk or even a Pakistani to give up his culture and identity over Islam. The greatest gift the Islamic Revolution gave to Iran is that it allowed Iran to have a large population birth and as well see what Islam really was, an Arab religion based on alien culture and alien ideas, the fantasy view of Islam Iranians had was completely shattered.

I suggest you check out Christopher Hitchens thoughts on Iran:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrBVQjivS08

He sums it up perfectly.

[Ballygrl]

Welcome!

How do Iranian women feel about having to cover up? do they get angry about being treated like 2nd class citizens? how do Iranians feel about the stoning of women? why don't women all over Iran join forces and stand up to the men who enforce these laws, which many times are based on hearsay as opposed to actual evidence? Have you seen the movie or read the book The Stoning of Soraya M even though they've been banned in Iran? or the book Not Without My Daughter?

Thanks!

[Cyrus]

What did you think of the treatment of Ghadaffi by the rebels before he was killed?

Looks like those Libyan rebels were pretty excited to finally catch what they viewed as their enemy, they probably would of had more fun putting him in court.

[ChuckJ]

Cyrus,

Thank you for joining us and thank you for the information that you have provided.

If this has already been asked forgive me.

How is America and the American people perceived by the majority of Iranians?

[Cyrus]

How do Iranian women feel about having to cover up?

They probably don't like it because it's not culturally Iranian to wear chadors, if I had to follow foreign culture I would also be upset.

On the otherhand, Arab Muslim women probably enjoy wearing "hejabs" since it's part of their culture, unlike Pakistani women for example who don't because like Iranians it's also not part of their culture, funnily the Taliban enforced the "niqab" on their overtake of Afghanistan yet historically the "niqab" has never been a part of indigenous Afghan (Tajik, Pashtun, Hazara, Farsiwan,etc.) culture.

do they get angry about being treated like 2nd class citizens?

I don't see why they wouldn't get angry being treated like 2nd class citizens by the IRI.

how do Iranians feel about the stoning of women?

Sadly a common practice done by Iranian-Kurds in rural parts of Iran. I personally love Kurdish people but I find this part of their culture disgusting.

why don't women all over Iran join forces and stand up to the men who enforce these laws, which many times are based on hearsay as opposed to actual evidence?

Three good videos on this topic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu2ZjuvURy4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odmlfa986mk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnSy1JlCYtU

Have you seen the movie or read the book The Stoning of Soraya even though they've been banned in Iran? or the book Not Without My Daughter?

No, and I have no interest in books or movies that generalize entire peoples based off individual events.

I suggest you take a look at "Without My Daughter":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W2SUn1ZNU0

[Karin]

is very different than modern liberalism

If, for anthropological purposes, you would like a glimpse into the American liberal mind, you could go to our section called the DUmpster, where we laugh and make fun of their lunacy.  They constitute roughly 20% of the population.  If you think your ex-pat board has crazy content, you haven't seen anything. 

[Gina]

If, for anthropological purposes, you would like a glimpse into the American liberal mind, you could go to our section called the DUmpster, where we laugh and make fun of their lunacy.  They constitute roughly 20% of the population.  If you think your ex-pat board has crazy content, you haven't seen anything. 

Everytime I read something from you now since you changed your avatar, I get strangely turned on.  Hey, Morticia     

[Cyrus]

Cyrus,

Thank you for joining us and thank you for the information that you have provided.

If this has already been asked forgive me.

How is America and the American people perceived by the majority of Iranians?

In my opinion it's exactly the same as how the people of the Soviet Union viewed America. The people stuck below the Communist regimes of the East were pro-American because America exported its culture to the USSR while the USSR as a government would spew hatred against America, the young Russians were busy listening to the latest American rock music. I would say this is the same case in Iran, because America exports its culture to Iran, younger Iranians may view America positively but when America creates anti-Iranian movies and books they destroy a potential bond.

Here's an American talking to a group of Iranians in Iran:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGnQLgzq8Zo

Here's an American talking to a group of Gay Iranians in Iran:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc3x26MvjmI

[thundley4]

Here's an American talking to a group of Gay Iranians in Iran:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc3x26MvjmI

But Ahmedinijad has said that there are no gays in Iran. Did he lie?

[Erasmus]

Thanks Cyrus, I'll check the video out, although I disagree with Hitchens on a great many things, he does get some things right.

[Cyrus]

But Ahmedinijad has said that there are no gays in Iran. Did he lie?

Yes. but many Iranians are closeted from my experiences.
Iranian Gays are tough people and they walk together in gangs. They are not stupid and know how to defend themselves.

[Cyrus]

Thanks Cyrus, I'll check the video out, although I disagree with Hitchens on a great many things, he does get some things right.

No problem 

[mamacags]

Welcome! 

As for whether or not red hair is evil and should be covered the answer is YES!!!!!  Everyone knows that gingers have no soul and their bite will inflict even the most innocent child with a soulless condition.  Gina knows this and tries to trick people into friending her.  I know this too, which is why I try to never have friends.  I wouldn't want to "accidentally" bite them and steal their soul.

[Karin]

Everytime I read something from you now since you changed your avatar, I get strangely turned on.  Hey, Morticia     

   Tish!  You spoke French!  You know that drives me crazy!   


Cyrus, what are your favorite Persian foods?  We discuss food here a lot. 

[IassaFTots]

Do you have any questions for us?

[Cyrus]

Cyrus, what are your favorite Persian foods?  We discuss food here a lot. 

Beef kabob is my favorite Persian food! But also like chicken kabob

[chitownchica]

Thanks chitownchica!

You are very welcome  .