The expert in Iran says that CNN and the cable news can represent the Iranians in the absence

During a 50 -year career in the academic world and external service, Hooshang Amirahmadi saw everything on Iran.

Professor of Rutgers, 78, founded the transnational-relocation organization, The American Iranian Council, directed the Center for Iranian Research and Analysis, visited Iran during his war with Iraq to try to propose a resolution, wrote many books in English and Persian and even submitted offers to present himself for the president of Iran in 2005, 2013 before Undressing, having undressed him, alleged, allegedly, for his American citizen and 2017 before the Emocracy. positions.

Amirahmadi is also deeply installed in the United States, where he was director of the Rutgers’ Center for Middle East Studies and is one of the most important public figures that hold American and Iranian passports and move freely between countries. It’s not for nothing, Amirahmadi appeared frequently on CNN, Fox and PBS.

Given the number of impressions of Iran – sometimes mid -impression of Iran – permeated the news since the War of Israel -Iran began nine days ago, it seemed to be the right time to reach out to Amirahmadi, the man who often finds himself explaining each country to the other. The Hollywood Reporter Spoke to him a few days before the United States joined the Israel-Iran war on Sunday morning by bombing Fordow and other key Iranian nuclear sites. Here are extracts from the conversation.

A large part of what we see of Iran in television programs here is an agitated population eager to help anyone opposes the regime. Apple TV Teheran May give the impression that half of the Iranian security establishment is working for Mossad. To what extent is this representation precise?

Well, you first have so many Jews who are connected to Iran in one way or another. There are about 90,000 or 100,000 Jews who still live in Iran. And it is probably much more because there are all those who converted after the revolution so that they can stay but at the heart are always Jewish. There are even people in the diet like this. So, a lot of people in Iran, I don’t think they would all work for Mossad of course, but they are certainly open to doing things that are against the diet. The emissions are therefore correct.

And they are not worried about being considered to support the enemy.

Many Iranians have good feelings about Israel. The diet does not do so. But people don’t necessarily have a problem. In fact, sometimes they are proud of the Iranians who succeeded in it – for example Shaul Mofaz [the Tehrani-born Israeli military hero and former Minister of Defense]He is someone, even many Muslims, are proud. “An Iranian is a high -ranking member of a foreign government.” These links are stronger than you think.

And did that always have remained true even through recent history?

No unfortunately not. The last 10 or 15 years have worsened. When Israel began to intensify his murder of nuclear generals and scientists, I think that has changed things for some Iranians. Everyone – I would say it’s still about 50-50. But it was a much higher number which was pro-Israeli.

And these attacks are overwhelming even for the Iranians who do not like the diet? They don’t see nuclear scientists as tools in this diet, what they don’t like?

No, because nuclear scientists are not closed as they are in some other countries. They are teachers – teachers living in their communities. This is why the killings have done so much to ruin Israeli-Iranian relations.

Where do you think the current conflict will leave these relationships?

Unfortunately, this will increase the animosity on both sides. When you have so much infrastructure destroyed on both sides – hospitals, roads, bridges, you call it – it will happen. At first. But. I hope it changes and that it brings people together. Sometimes war does this. People need it so that they can understand themselves, can understand their common humanity. Human beings have used war in this way. Why couldn’t it happen here?

Post-war Germany and the United States would be a good example. OK, so let’s talk about American press organizations. When you look at CNN, do you think it captures what the typical Iranians feel?

Iran has unfortunately been presented to the Americans as a pariah state made up only of terrorists. This is actually really a situation similar to what Iranian television depicts Israel-“they are all terrorists.” And unfortunately, it never seems to improve. I have been working on American-Iranian relations for over 40 years and there are still animals for the Americans towards the Iranians because of this.

This is not necessarily all the fault of the networks, however, when it comes to showing a wider spectrum, right? Part of the problem consists in obtaining the coverage of Iran’s newspapers, just get journalists on the ground.

This is obviously a challenge. Another big problem is that American universities produce very few Iran specialists. There were many, and now you have less, and those you have tend to be American. They are great but we really need more that not only give American sight.

Then you have all these dissident films from Iran. We just had The seed of sacred fig During the Oscar Season, which showed a young generation opposed to the regime, and of course women, life, freedom of 2022 [director] Mohammad Rasoulof to make the film first. Jafar Panahi, one of the best known dissident filmmakers in Iran, has just won the Golden Palme his film maturely political It doesn’t have an accident. Are the images of dissatisfaction with regard to the regime and the interest in democracy that these platform films-representative?

What people do not remember is that Iran was the most pro-American country in the Middle East before the Revolution. Why would it change? People under 50 or 60 may not think that way. But people over 50 or 60 do it, and maybe they can help the youngest.

Do you not think that even the elderly were influenced by the regime and its propaganda?

No, I think that the Iranian street is actually very pro-American. It is the diet that is not. If you want to see Anti-American, go to the streets of Saudi Arabia, where 35% of people live below the poverty line. Not the palace. The palace, the so-called pro-American palace, is only billionaires. Believe me, they are not pro-Americans. In 10 years, they will have the most anti-American country in the region. The average Iranian is 10 times more pro-American than the average Saudi. Many Iranians, even if they are Muslims, they are secular and they can be socialist or capitalist, just like the Americans. The Iranian economy is a capitalist economy. But we tend to see things from a political lens and a diet lens and we do not do it.

This actually struck me by speaking of Iran and Israel that, despite the fatal enemies, they are both aberrant values ​​as two of the largest Arab-Middle East non-Majorist countries. It looks like a shade that really gets lost, especially when other Muslim countries in the region are considered greater American allies.

In Iran, the diet is anti-American and the street is pro-American. And in Saudi, it is the opposite. But of course, it is the street that should be more important. The palace changes. The street does not do so.

These are not nuances that necessarily occur on the coverage of American television information.

I mean you have Ted Cruz saying to Tucker Carlson that he does not even know the population of Iran. I think many Americans understand these differences, but our television leaders do not give me much hope.

Since a war does not tend to make the most humanizing effects, what will ensure the most precise American perceptions of the Iranian people in your opinion?

We have to see ordinary Iranians, not just the news regime. Someone needs to make a show [in Hollywood] where the main characters are the Iranians in Iran. This is what will make a deeper understanding.