Monday
Jul272009
Another View from Iran: Seyed Mohammad Marandi on CNN (26 July)
Monday, July 27, 2009 at 7:02
The Latest from Iran (27 July): A President Dangling in the Wind?
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UPDATE 0930 GMT: This video, now available on several Internet sites, is causing quite a fuss. There have been heated comments, with some criticism of Zakaria as well as Marandi, on a YouTube version. An Iranian website is featuring the "crushing" of the "pro-Government" Marandi.
Dr Seyed Mohammad Marandi of the University of Tehran was interviewed on CNN on Sunday about the post-election situation in Iran. Asked by Fareed Zakaria about the Government's "brutal methods" to "maintain control", turning it into "a military dictatorship", Marandi replied, "Since Mr Mousavi's people went to the streets day after day, it was causing trouble in Tehran so the police really felt they had to bring things back to normal," while President Ahmadinejad acted provocatively in his speech immediately after the election. He predicted that, despite the violence and detentions, the situation would soon "return to normal".
Receive our latest updates by email or RSS SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FEED
Buy Us A Cup of Coffee? Help Enduring America Expand Its Coverage and Analysis
UPDATE 0930 GMT: This video, now available on several Internet sites, is causing quite a fuss. There have been heated comments, with some criticism of Zakaria as well as Marandi, on a YouTube version. An Iranian website is featuring the "crushing" of the "pro-Government" Marandi.
Dr Seyed Mohammad Marandi of the University of Tehran was interviewed on CNN on Sunday about the post-election situation in Iran. Asked by Fareed Zakaria about the Government's "brutal methods" to "maintain control", turning it into "a military dictatorship", Marandi replied, "Since Mr Mousavi's people went to the streets day after day, it was causing trouble in Tehran so the police really felt they had to bring things back to normal," while President Ahmadinejad acted provocatively in his speech immediately after the election. He predicted that, despite the violence and detentions, the situation would soon "return to normal".
Reader Comments (8)
Marandi is a Known operative of Islamic Republic of Fear! He would say that since that would be his wishful thinking off course!!
"when other countries interfere with Iran's internal affairs, things get worse and it only creates further tension"
If other countries WEREN'T watching, hundreds of people would have been killed by now instead of 10,20 that have died. even now that the world IS watching, those murderers still kill, arrest, beat up, rape, stone.........................
I'm sure they WISHED nobody was watching, so they could do whatever they wanted. but NO!! WE ARE WATCHING, WE ARE gonna speak up, WE ARE gonna stand up, WE ARE gonna backup our brothers.!
And Seyyed Mohammad Marandi, you are a coward. You say you've fought for this country in Iran-Irag war, well if you had died in that war, you would have been known as a hero !! But now, you are just another hand helping this government to kill, and even worse....!!!
Mr. Marandi is a shame among the Iranian intelligentsia!
The ethics and moral of an Iranian, who so shamelessly tries to wash the blood of between 60 to 90 people who were killed in opposition to this government in past few weeks is highly questionable. Shame on you Seyed Mohammad Marandi!
As an Iranian, I really appreciate your wise interview with Marandi who is a part of brutal regime.
Did Zakaria really say that the only assistance given to Iraq by the US during its war against Iran was "agricultural credits"? Marandi was wrong to link the US to chemical weapons but didn't the US supply satellite imagery of the location of Iranian troops to Iraq?
haha OWNED! good job fareed!
I liked the casual tone and composure of Marandi, even though he was constantly interrupted by Zakaria. I think Zakaria would have done a better job if he didn't start defending the US gov and would have stayed neutral instead of walking all over the guy. btw, that "agricultural credits" part was ...... (aha) 'ludicrous' (thanks Zakaria, just the word i was looking for)
This was a terrible interview. To allow some agent of tyranny like Marandi a forum to engage made Zakaria look weak. To allow the discussion to move from the current situation to the war in Iraq was journalistic idiocy. How can Zakaria allow someone to change the subject on him so readily? Even a first year debate student would not make such rooky mistake.
Then to walk into the trap and say that America is clean with respect to Sadamn and that we provided only farm credits, is like proving Marandi's point that we both are equal, cause we both blatantly lie.
I would have expected for Zakarai to say " Yes we did many wrongs in the past, and we did provide support for Mr. Hussain during that war", however Mr. Marandi the question at hand is:
Why is your government stolen the election? How come you don't adequately address the claims of vote fraud? Why are Basiji and security forces beating, killing and arresting innocent Iranians? How come half the establishment has come out against the results of the election? Are you saying that half the establishment is agents of foreign powers? How can anyone believe that foreign powers were involved, when even your own people ridicule this notion and do not believe it?
Yes America has done many people of the world many wrongs, but they have not been Americans, they have been other nations. The difference between Iran and America is that America gives weapons for other nations to kill innocent people for the better being of its interests and people. This is standard through human history and all nations have done it. Iran does it in Iraq and Lebanon too. In this instance, Iran and its government have in sourced this task and are killing and beating Iranians, in the name of Islam and blaming the west for it.