Professor William Beeman: "Americans have had a monolithic image of Iran for the last 25 years"

Professor Beeman: Americans have had a monolithic image of Iran for the last 25 years

“If we only have patience in the West to wait for Iran to develop on its own, I think that we will be very pleased. Iran is quite capable of taking care of itself”

“with China rising as an economic force, Iran is not going to need us. We’re on the brink of becoming economically irrelevant.”


Beeman countered stereotypes that Iranian women are oppressed, an image that is supported by the fact that they are forced to wear a veil over their heads.

To illustrate this negative stereotype, Beeman read an excerpt from “Atomic Iran” that describes Iranian women as “virtual animals, beasts of burden, second-class citizens.”

In response, Beeman noted that more than half of the university students in Iran are women and many are in engineering and medical fields. He said that the literacy rates for men and women under the age of 25 are equal, adding that there are 14 women in the Iranian Parliament.

Beeman also said that Iran is an enormously diverse country with a vital culture that has a widespread influence, especially in Asia.

“The power of Iranian civilization trumps everything else,” he said. “It is such a tremendously powerful influence.”

He said that although there are a large number of different ethnic groups in Iran, they all still identify themselves as Iranian.

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The U.S. and Israel have launched a big campaign of misinformation against Iran in which they seek to portray Iran as an evil, violent, agressive, radical and anti-Western country whose highest aim is to eliminate Israel and destroy the U.S. -- Anyone who is familiar with Iran and its people know how incredibly ludicrous this is, and how it couldn't be any further from the truth. Iran is a most peaceful country whose foremost concern is the development and industrialization of the country. Iran absolutely no designs against the U.S. or Israel, but rightfully feels threatened by these two countries as they keep harassing it. Even if Iran would abandon all its nuclear activities, the U.S. and Israel would come up with some other excuses to continue to harass her. The real reasons behind their harassment of Iran has not so much to do with nuclear weapons. The real reasons are that the U.S. and Israel cannot accept Iran's ambitions to become a developed, industrialized, scientifically and technologically advanced economic and military powerful and self-reliant country. They could never accept such an Islamic Iran embedded in the middle of the vast region that makes up the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Middle East, with all its vast natural resources - the richest in the world. They could not accept it for two reasons: 1) Because it would be a serious rival to the interests of the U.S. in the region, and its imperialist and greedy financial ambitions there. 2) Because of the fiercly anti-Islamic stance of both the zionists and the fascist evangelics ruling the U.S. today, they could never accept that a modern, progressive and advanced Islamic country would emerge as a world power. Iran has the ambition and ability to become just such a power. As the U.S. and Israel grow more and more desperate they will resort to increasingly more pathetic misinformation campaigns directed against Iran. My predicition is that they will not be successful though. And they will hurt themselves and their credibility - what is left of it - more than anything or anyone else.
















































Racer Laleh Seddigh









Tehran office tower



Model of the Tehran monorail - A future project being currently worked on






Iranian manufactured computers



Iranian fashion



Iranian architecture









Iranian female skaters









Subsidized housing projects for the poor in Tehran






Iranian cars



Iran's new national car, "Samand", already being exported to other countries



Iranian architects in an award ceremony in Tehran










Iranian physicians at a medical conference in Tehran. Iran has embarked on a path to become a major country in the area of medical tourism.



Iran has an ambitious plan to turn the country into one of the hottest tourist spots in the world. A budget of $80 billion for this year alone has been allocated towards this purpose. This is the new project currently under construction - A whole city on the Persian Gulf called "Flower of the East"



The city will boast several 5-star hotels, the world's second only 7-star hotel, luxury apartments, boutiques and shopping centers, etc.






"Bowling For All" reads the poster on the wall at this government sponsored bowling hall in Tehran.



The Iranian government has invested heavily in sports recreation for the young. Numerous big state of the art sports recreational centers has been built across Iran.



A Tehran gym



Iranian built highway systems



Job fair in Tehran









Iranian interior design



Tehran Parkway








Iranian body builders in a competition in Tehran













Islamic Republic of Iran Academies of Science - (Completed)


Book City Complex - Tehran - One of the world's biggest and most modern state of the art and technologically advanced libraries (Completed)


Animal Husbandry School - Mashad


Grand Museum of Khorasan Province


Performing Arts Center of Tabriz (Northwestern Iran - Azarbajian Province)


Tabriz Central Bus Terminal (Azarbaijan Province - N.W. Iran)












Iranian architects



Iranian Parliament



Tehran Audio Center



Tehran Audio Center



Shopping center



Modarres Freeway, Tehran








Pierced Iranian woman



Iranian skier at one of Iran's world class ski resorts



Iranian manufactured economy cars for the masses



Tehran boutique











Iranian manufactured airport bus



Isfahan airport passenger terminal

















Navaab government subsidized housing district for the poor



Tehran highway


Phase one of the new big Tehran international Airport (Imam Khomeini International Airport) The first terminal, seen here, was completed one year ago.




The new airport in Tehran


New Airport





New Tehran International Airport VIP center


The Tehran International Trade and Convention Center and Milad Communications Tower. (Almost completed) The Tehran International Trade and Convention Center and Milad Tower. Under construction and almost completed. The project includes a telecommunication tower offering restaurants at the top with spectacular views of Tehran, a five-star hotel,a convention center, a world trade center, and an IT park. The complex seeks to respond to the needs of business in the globalized world of the 21st century by offering facilities combining trade, information, communication, convention and accommodation all in one place.
The Center will feature a parking area of 27,000 square meters, a computer and telecommunication unit, a cultural and scientific unit, a commercial transaction center, a temporary showroom for exhibiting products, a specialized library, an exhibition hall and an administrative unit. Milad Tower will also be one of the tallest structures in the world.







Environmentalists protesting against air pollution in Tehran



Tehran is extremely clean and also very green














Namak Abrood Hotel in Norhtern Iran - One of the many luxury hotels being built in the government's drive to turn Iran into a major tourist hot spot.



"Fasten your seatbelts" reads the digital signs above Tehran highways. Tehran's highways are camera monitored, and drivers who have violated traffic rules are admonished by an authoritative voice blaring from loudspeakers at busy intersections.



Jazz concert in Tehran by Swedish group "Bazar Blå"













[edit on 27-4-2005 by Siroos]

[edit on 27-4-2005 by Siroos]

[edit on 27-4-2005 by Siroos]

[edit on 27-4-2005 by Siroos]

Quote from the article:

One of the most important factors in the reformation of Iran is that the average age is only 23, Beeman said. With the majority of the population under the age of 25, there will be a large number of new voters in the next five years who did not even live through or know the details of the Iranian Revolution. He said he expects the conservative views in Iran — preserved most strongly by those over age 70 — to begin to fade in coming years.

This is a facet of the Iranian political scene many alarmists like to ignore: the building discontent of Iran's huge youth population with the rule of the Mullahs. It''s widely believe the recent elections (yes, believe it or not, Iran is a democracy, albeit currently a theocratic one) would have been a landslide for the reformers, had religious authorities not disqualified so many of their candidates.

IMHO the victory of the reformers in Iran is inevitable, the mullahs can only hope to postpone it, not stop it. The younger generation seems to have little use for the fanaticism of their elders.

The one wildcard is the possibility of war, which would tend to unify the Iranians behind their government. One lesson we ought to have learned from Iraq is that there will be many who prefer a homegrown tyranny to any foreign invader.

National pride is not a quality unique to Americans. IE: I can't stand Bush, but if the Chinese invaded to throw out Bush, I'd still fight the Chinese. Our government is up to us, not foreigners, and I'll bet there are going to be a lot of otherwise reform-minded Iranians who would feel the same way.

[edit on 27-4-2005 by xmotex]

If what u are showing is true then u have a big propaganda issue because none of this seems to be seen in foreign media... even arab ones
There's the issue of the female enforcers ( police women all wrapped up in black)
and there's this incident that really had it's impact on me, a bunch of Iranians visited my country and they had a hell of an odor, they were so dirty this had a real negative impact on me...
Donno these pics are a real improvement on what i saw

Originally posted by xmotex
This is a facet of the Iranian political scene many alarmists like to ignore: the building discontent of Iran's huge youth population with the rule of the Mullahs. It''s widely believe the recent elections (yes, believe it or not, Iran is a democracy, albeit currently a theocratic one) would have been a landslide for the reformers, had religious authorities not disqualified so many of their candidates.

IMHO the victory of the reformers in Iran is inevitable, the mullahs can only hope to postpone it, not stop it. The younger generation seems to have little use for the fanaticism of their elders.

The one wildcard is the possibility of war, which would tend to unify the Iranians behind their government. One lesson we ought to have learned from Iraq is that there will be many who prefer a homegrown tyranny to any foreign invader.

National pride is not a quality unique to Americans. IE: I can't stand Bush, but if the Chinese invaded to throw out Bush, I'd still fight the Chinese. Our government is up to us, not foreigners, and I'll bet there are going to be a lot of otherwise reform-minded Iranians who would feel the same way.

[edit on 27-4-2005 by xmotex]

The problem with this is that the movement to freedom and democracy does not necessarily mean relations between the U.S. and Iran will improve. If this is the case, then the U.S. has more to worry with a reformed Iran because this delegitimizes much of U.S. rhetoric towards Iran or the Middle East. Same goes for China, should it reform. Reform will most likely aggravate relations.

Originally posted by Bl00D_Th0rN
If what u are showing is true then u have a big propaganda issue because none of this seems to be seen in foreign media... even arab ones
There's the issue of the female enforcers ( police women all wrapped up in black)
and there's this incident that really had it's impact on me, a bunch of Iranians visited my country and they had a hell of an odor, they were so dirty

this had a real negative impact on me...
Donno these pics are a real improvement on what i saw

First of all, I have also met quite a few Americans and Europeans who smelled horribly, but I'm too intelligent to allow myself to generalise on the basis of having met a few who were dirty. Iranians are a very clean people. We have special loafers that we use when we use the bathroom, and we wash our asses when we take a crap - toilet paper is not very hygienic if you think about it.... I don't know what kind of Iranians you met in your country, or if they even were Iranian, but I can assure you that the vast majority of Iranians are very, very clean as cleanliness is of the highest importance in our national culture and in our religion.

No, we don't have any issue with our propaganda. We just do not bother to respond to the U.S. and western twisted image of us - Because we simply do not care! We know who we are and that is what counts for us. It's not our problem that people like you do not bother to find out the truth, the facts. And you don't really sound like you are the kind of person who is interested in hearing facts and finding out the truth, judging by your ridiculous statement that you met a bunch of Iranians in your country who smelled awful. I bet you can't tell the difference between a Bangladshi and an Iranian.

Wow! Makes me want to take an Arab language class and take a trip over there myself!

Wouldn't do you much good, they aren't Arabs, they're mostly Persian and speak Farsi, not Arabic.

Unless it was a joke and I am just too humor impaired and grumpy today to see it

Reform will most likely aggravate relations.

It's not that I think democratic reform will necessarily suddenly make relations all peaches and cream, but I do think a less authoritarian government would be less likely to seek (or stumble into) military conflict. The Iranians will still be looking out for Iranian interests and we will be looking out for ours. But democratic governments rarely seem to go to war with each other, however tense the political relationships get.

[edit on 27-4-2005 by xmotex]

haha yes it was but I still would like to go to that country sometime in my life. Maybe the realations 'twix US and Iran will change?

Originally posted by Siroos

Originally posted by Bl00D_Th0rN
If what u are showing is true then u have a big propaganda issue because none of this seems to be seen in foreign media... even arab ones
There's the issue of the female enforcers ( police women all wrapped up in black)
and there's this incident that really had it's impact on me, a bunch of Iranians visited my country and they had a hell of an odor, they were so dirty

this had a real negative impact on me...
Donno these pics are a real improvement on what i saw

First of all, I have also met quite a few Americans and Europeans who smelled horribly, but I'm too intelligent to allow myself to generalise on the basis of having met a few who were dirty. Iranians are a very clean people. We have special loafers that we use when we use the bathroom, and we wash our asses when we take a crap - toilet paper is not very hygienic if you think about it.... I don't know what kind of Iranians you met in your country, or if they even were Iranian, but I can assure you that the vast majority of Iranians are very, very clean as cleanliness is of the highest importance in our national culture and in our religion.

No, we don't have any issue with our propaganda. We just do not bother to respond to the U.S. and western twisted image of us - Because we simply do not care! We know who we are and that is what counts for us. It's not our problem that people like you do not bother to find out the truth, the facts. And you don't really sound like you are the kind of person who is interested in hearing facts and finding out the truth, judging by your ridiculous statement that you met a bunch of Iranians in your country who smelled awful. I bet you can't tell the difference between a Bangladshi and an Iranian.

Maybe you should look at all the facts before you make staements, look at his profile... Location, Beirut, Lebanon, but ya just had to jump on it as if it were some type of western insult..

Maybe you should look at all the facts before you make staements, look at his profile... Location, Beirut, Lebanon, but ya just had to jump on it as if it were some type of western insult..

Well, I didn't insult any Westerners did I? This is what I said: "First of all, I have also met quite a few Americans and Europeans who smelled horribly, but I'm too intelligent to allow myself to generalise on the basis of having met a few who were dirty." There are smelly people everywhere, and yes, I have met Lebanese people who smelled bad too, but just because I come across some doesn't mean that I conclude that all Lebanese smell bad. I think this Lebanese forum member has some kind of an issue with Iranians which only he/she can sort out...

They are some excellent photo's. I had NO IDEA Iran was that far in terms of a society.

Thankyou for posting. In my backpackign trips to europe, I am now looking for ways to get to Tehran for a visit.

Wow. That's pretty impressive I have to admit. I admit that I have pictured Iran in the past as a slightly backward, but I'm glad to be proven wrong on that one. It looks quite Western actually. Nice post Siroos.

Originally posted by Siroos

Maybe you should look at all the facts before you make staements, look at his profile... Location, Beirut, Lebanon, but ya just had to jump on it as if it were some type of western insult..

Well, I didn't insult any Westerners did I? This is what I said: "First of all, I have also met quite a few Americans and Europeans who smelled horribly, but I'm too intelligent to allow myself to generalise on the basis of having met a few who were dirty." There are smelly people everywhere, and yes, I have met Lebanese people who smelled bad too, but just because I come across some doesn't mean that I conclude that all Lebanese smell bad. I think this Lebanese forum member has some kind of an issue with Iranians which only he/she can sort out...

All i wanted to say is that what comes out in the media portrays the image i told u about, and i gave out this so-called "live" example... maybe i didn't choose it very well but all i wanted to say that the image given even in Arab media isn't that good although what u've shown is good.... Hence the problem in ur propaganda that i mentionned

Siroos,

Neither one ATS thread with pretty pictures nor two is going to convince the U.S. that Iran is just a great, wonderful place full of nice people and that we have nothing to worry about.

Your country has to discontinue its nuclear program or face the consequences. It's that simple.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
Siroos,

Neither one ATS thread with pretty pictures nor two is going to convince the U.S. that Iran is just a great, wonderful place full of nice people and that we have nothing to worry about.

Your country has to discontinue its nuclear program or face the consequences. It's that simple.

It is an sovereign country and it can develop whatever they want, IMO.


[edit on 28-4-2005 by Samiralfey]

Originally posted by djohnsto77
Your country has to discontinue its nuclear program or face the consequences. It's that simple.

You cannot tell people what they can or cant have. You are not God. You have to discontinue telling countries what they can do, taking away country's rights or face the consequences. Its that simple.

The problem with this is that the movement to freedom and democracy does not necessarily mean relations between the U.S. and Iran will improve. If this is the case, then the U.S. has more to worry with a reformed Iran because this delegitimizes much of U.S. rhetoric towards Iran or the Middle East. Same goes for China, should it reform. Reform will most likely aggravate relations.

A reformist controlled Iran will want to have friendly but limited relations with the U.S. on the condition that the U.S. ceases to interfere in Iran's affairs, and on the condition that the U.S. interacts with Iran as an equal, not a bully. But even then I think the relations will be limited to mere diplomatic more than anything else. Iranians have more bitter than sweet memories of the era when the two countries were "allies". Iran's future allies will remain China, Russia and India, and Iran will enjoy strong and good relations, particularly business relations with Europe. I don't think we will ever see strong relations with the U.S. again. The U.S. would have to change a whole lot before that could happen. But if the U.S. would stop harassing Iran, the two countries could at least establish diplomatic relations.

Originally posted by Dances With Angels
Wow! Makes me want to take an Arab language class and take a trip over there myself!

Lol! That won't do you any good since Iranians speak Farsi (Persian) While Arabic is a semite language like Hebrew, Farsi is an indo-European language related to the Germanic language family of European languages. Many of the words you use in English derive from the Persian langiage. Ex: Mother - Maadar, Daughter - Dokhtar, Father - Pedar,

Originally posted by Siroos
The problem with this is that the movement to freedom and democracy does not necessarily mean relations between the U.S. and Iran will improve. If this is the case, then the U.S. has more to worry with a reformed Iran because this delegitimizes much of U.S. rhetoric towards Iran or the Middle East. Same goes for China, should it reform. Reform will most likely aggravate relations.

A reformist controlled Iran will want to have friendly but limited relations with the U.S. on the condition that the U.S. ceases to interfere in Iran's affairs, and on the condition that the U.S. interacts with Iran as an equal, not a bully. But even then I think the relations will be limited to mere diplomatic more than anything else. Iranians have more bitter than sweet memories of the era when the two countries were "allies". Iran's future allies will remain China, Russia and India, and Iran will enjoy strong and good relations, particularly business relations with Europe. I don't think we will ever see strong relations with the U.S. again. The U.S. would have to change a whole lot before that could happen. But if the U.S. would stop harassing Iran, the two countries could at least establish diplomatic relations.

That's the thing. Although the U.S. will soften it's stance toward Iran should it reform, I feel like the U.S. will not enjoy having a strong nation, however democratic, in the Middle East.

While democratic nations rarely go to war with each other, I truly feel that in Iran, or even in China's case, as long as they don't ally with America, the U.S. government will always look upon them with scorn and as a threat. It's never about democracy, it's about what you can give them. Why else is America allies with Saudi Arabia, one of the most undemocratic nations in the world?

Originally posted by djohnsto77
Siroos,

Neither one ATS thread with pretty pictures nor two is going to convince the U.S. that Iran is just a great, wonderful place full of nice people and that we have nothing to worry about.

Your country has to discontinue its nuclear program or face the consequences. It's that simple.

Who the hell do you think you are? God? First of I'm not out to convince the U.S. of anything, because I doubt that your greedy war-mongering hawks are visiting this forum. The U.S. does not have to be convinces of anything. It knows very well that a nuclear Iran would not be a threat to Israel or the U.S. -- The real threat to the U.S. is a developed, industrialized and advanced Iran - A self-reliant Iran. It does not want a powerful country in the region which it wants to control and suck dry of its riches. And it certainly does not want to see an advanced model Islamic country which would discredit the U.S. propaganda campaign against Islam. Therefore a totally independent, advanced and progressive Iran is the nightmare of the U.S. --

But Iran does not care, and will pursue its nuclear programme. The U.S. and Israel cannot do a thing, unless they are willing to pay the very heavy price. Iran is willing to pay a heavy price to show that it will never allow to be bullied around - How heavy of a price are Israel and the U.S. willing to pay?

But what you have to understand is that the U.S. is not God. The U.S. cannot tell Iran or any other country what it can and can't do. I think it's about time that Iran leads other countries in an orchestrated international campaign against the U.S. and Israel and their violations in regards to nuclear weapons! It is the U.S. and Israel who have violated international nuclear regulations, and it's about time that this should be hightlighted so that the whole world will understand what really is going on here. How come the U.S. is selling bunker buster bombs to Israel which has a huge nuclear arsenal, and the most advanced fantoms to Pakistan which also has the bomb? Is this how the U.S. is promoting nuclear containment in the world? And how come the U.S., although having signed the IAEA treaty which calls on the signatories to dismantle their nuclear arsenals, is expanding its nuclear weapons programme? And how come the U.S. is refusing the IAEA access to its nuclear sites? Pakistan, a country infested with the most radical and backwarded Islamic fundamentalists, which has the bomb, is promoted by the U.S. and recently the U.S. sold Pakistan its most advanced fighter jets among other high-tech weapons. This is the same Pakistan that was the closest ally of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and which wholeheartedly supported the Talibans. This just shows that the U.S. is not serious about what it says, that the problem is not that the U.S. feels threatened by Iranian nukes, that the U.S. is a lying hypocrite who constantly makes up excuses in its ambition to conrol other countries, and to COVERTLY rule over them, and exploit their resources, and force them into a dependency relation with the U.S. -- Since Iran refuses to fall victim to U.S. imperialism, the U.S. is desperately trying all the different tricks in the book to subdue Iran. The U.S. is desperate because it's beginning to realize that Iran has reached a point where it's no longer affected in a serious way by the dirty trick the U.S. pulling.

Iran will pursue its nuclear programme and nobody can or will stop it! The Iranian nation is determined, and now more than ever do we realize that we do need the bomb, so that we once and for all can stop the harassment of the U.S. and Israel.