From a troubled and frustrated Iranian-American
I would just like to educate those who are not familiar with Iran about the country and situation (particularly Americans but all foreigners in general).
First some basics:
Iran is not the same as Iraq and frankly they are not more similar to Iraq than they are to say Syria or Azerbaijan. In fact, the most similar country to Iran in terms of culture, language, etc. is probably Afghanistan as we relatively speak nearly the same language (Farsi vs Dari). Just because in the English they are spelled very similarly and they border each other on the map doesn’t mean they are twins. In Persian/Farsi, the main language of Iran, the two are not even the similar in prononciation.
Iranians are NOT Arabs (except for the 1-2% by the Iraq border. Iranians (for the most part) are considered Persians and celebrate a similar Persian culture (even some of those who are Kurd, Turkmen, Azeri) that comes from the ancient Persian empire, not the Arab one. Our language is not even in the same language family as the Arabs. Persian/Farsi is actually in the Indo-European language family. However, due to the Arab invasions of Persia, much of the language (and some of our culture such as being majority Muslim rather than Zoroastrian) has been Arabified. Other languages have also influenced Farsi but Arabic is the largest proponent of this. However, Iranians can still technically speak Farsi without using any foreign words. For example, we say Merci like the French as thank you (though the pronunciation is different) but you could also say Ce Pas Gozaram or just Ce Pas for short which is the traditional Iranian way to say it. Similarly, Salam is how we say hello (which comes from Arabic) but you could also say Darood which comes from traditional Zoroastrian Farsi. However, very few people use these alternatives and just opt for the foreign influenced status quo.
Iranians are actually historically relatively very socially progressive, and I would go as far to say that Iranians and their culture are historically the most progressive in the Middle East. The last forty years under the extreme Islamist regime don’t define Iranians. Before the regime, of course extremely rare, there were even gay bars in Iran in Tehran, the capital. Dont get me wrong; Iranians are obviously pretty conservative compared to Westerns, but in context, they are a very openminded people. For example, during WWII, Iran accepted over 100,000 Polish refugees (mostly Jews). Many chose to stay after the war, and there are still many cemeteries solely dedicated to them. This is very ironic considering the government’s current attitude towards Jews and Israel. In fact, the Persian empire was the first to ban slavery as King Cyrus the Great of Persia created the first declaration of human rights in 539 BCE known as the Cyrus Cylinder. This established the first freedom of religion in a country which is ironic considering the current theocratic dictatorship. The Persians are also known and praised in the Torah and Old Testament of the Holy Bible for freeing the Jews from captivity after conquering Babylon. Iranians have a very rich history that they are very proud of being one of three oldest still existing cultures/civilizations along with Greece and China.
This is very important: the Iranian people and the Islamic republic (the current government/regime) is very different from the people. Most (self-respecting) Iranians don’t support the regime and nearly all of the Iranian diaspora is against (or neutral at the very least) towards the regime. Iranians have been protesting against the regime for decades, especially with the infamous Green Revolution (which untimely failed. However, the regime is extremely cruel, ruthless, and autocratic. They kill all those who oppose them. There is no freedom of speech; just criticizing the Ayatollah (Supreme Leader) can get you at least 2 years in jail with torturing and you and you’re family could even disappear. Things like alcohol and even fun in general (people at one point couldn’t turn their radios up too loud and they currently can’t dance in public) are forbidden however, people still do it in private, including the regime members themselves who are complete hypocrites and don’t actually follow Islamic Sharia Law. Many claim to hate America but have many family members that live there. It is all fake to keep power. Women and men that are not related or married can’t even hold hands in public without getting stopped and harassed by the religious police. They just want to make everyone miserable so they won’t revolt for political rights because all they want are basic human rights. My mother was stopped at a movie theater by the religious police and put in the back of a van just because a tiny bit of hair was showing from under her legally required head scarf. She was very young and innocent and they threatened her with years of torture in jail. They are nothing less than monsters.
No freedom exists. There is extensive censoring. For example, when you go to watch a movie like Frozen at the movie theater, it ends up only being 30 or 40 minutes long because they cut out everything that even slightly resembles a romantic connection. Even men are supposed to wear “hijab” which in Iran means to cover up. Men are supposed to wear long sleeve shirts and pants at all time like women but they are usually more relaxed with men. They are insane. There isn’t even religious freedom because those who are born to Muslim parents are not allowed to convert to another religion. Also, most minority religions are persecuted indefinitely which explains the mass exodus of Iranian Jews, many of which went to Israel. They have committed thousands of human rights violation according to Amnesty International with no remorse. The government cares nothing about the people. The regime members steal billions if not trillions of dollars from the people and buy their children expensive estates in Europe and even America, while many Iranians starve on the streets and posters advertising kidneys being sold hang in the streets.
Iranians are not uncivilized and primitive. Iranian men don’t beat their wives or whatever some ignorant Americans think. Iranian women before the regime were had near identical rights to men. In urban areas. Iranians are pretty socially progressive, even more so than many Americans. My parents and many Iranians I know in American and Canada are just as progressive as those around them, believe in gay rights, etc. The issues only came with the regime.
Most regime supporters and extremely ignorant and uneducated or they are on the pay roll of the government or they are connected to and benefit from the regime in some way or form. Most people are against the regime but to scared to rebel because according to precedent they will just end up killed unjustly and no change will occur.
