black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

We’ve had 60 years of intellectual development in Iran. How can we have the same system?

Akbar Ganji

I, too, am against the dismantlement of Iran.
AKBAR GANJI

Against Country Dismantlement
All manners of freedom, including freedom of expression, freedom of conscious, freedom of thought…it accepts tolerance. But it is not an atheist society.
AKBAR GANJI

Atheist Conscious Expression Freedom Idea Manner Society Tolerance
In a totalitarian state, the state views any act of an individual to be political in nature. For example, the clothing that a person wears in a modern state is a private affair whereas in the Islamic Republic all women are forced to wear the hijab (Islamic attire).
AKBAR GANJI

Act Affair Cloth Force Individual Islamic Modern Nature Political Private Religion State Wear Women
They lie on railroads, they tie themselves to the gates.
AKBAR GANJI

Gate Lie Themselves
I have spent six years in prison, the last six years. Even if I was outside the prison, how much actual space was there for an investigative journalist to do his work in Iran?
AKBAR GANJI

Actual Country Investigate Last Outside Prison Six Space Spent Work Year
There’s all kind of evidence that there is enormous corruption in the distribution of that money. For example, they gave about $100 to $150 dollars to each of the teachers. They gave about $500 dollars to those who were getting married. Through this process.
AKBAR GANJI

Corruption Distribution Evidence Example Face Kind Marry Money People Teacher
We can certainly be on the same side and the same front with the workers and with the oppressed people of Iran. We can certainly be on the same front with them.
AKBAR GANJI

Certainty Country Front People Same Side Worker
When I say that I am opposed to this budget, everyone says, “Well, what do you think the United States should do?” My response is, “Why should the United States do anything?”
AKBAR GANJI

Anything Budget Everyone Oppose Say Thinking
You cannot bring democracy to a country by attacking it.
AKBAR GANJI

Attack Bring Country Democracy
I could witness that as a result of Ahmadinejad, they lived in a dream. They believed that paradise is around the corner and that all their demands shall be met.
AKBAR GANJI

Demand Dream Live Melt Paradise Result Witness
The number of the opposition has certainly increased [in Iran].
AKBAR GANJI

Certainly Country Increase Media Number Opposition Voice
And amongst the lower strata in Iranian society, we are witnessing an increasing rise of the expectation and it’s clear that the regime is incapable of satisfying these demands.
AKBAR GANJI

Country Demand Expectation Incapable Increase Regime Satisfy Society Strata Witness
Let me begin by saying not only you can’t have democracy with $75 million. You can’t even have it with $750 billion.
AKBAR GANJI

Begin Democracy Million Saying
The entirety of this discourse was such that it encouraged the kind of ascendancy for a man like Ayatollah Khomeini.
AKBAR GANJI

Discourse Encourage Entirely Kind Man People Such
When I talk about secularism, I’m talking about theories today. To give you for example, one example: Those who consider themselves followers of Mosaddeq today are adamantly against federalism.
AKBAR GANJI

Consider Example Giving Secularism Talking Theory
He never made economic promises to people and as a result, he never led to dissatisfaction in this perspective. Because they need to get votes, they use misleading slogans. And this leads to rising expectations. I had a personal experience.
AKBAR GANJI

Dissatisfaction Economic Existence Expectation Lead Made never Personal Perspective Promise Rising Slogan

We’ve had 60 years of intellectual development in Iran. How can we have the same system?

Related Topics

Popular Authors

We’ve had 60 years of intellectual development in Iran. How can we have the same system?

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Akbar Ganji Quotes