Pinocchio in New York City
I predict that when Iran’s president Mahmud Ahmadinejad returns to Iran after his stay in New York, he will need a nose job. This is because I doubt if there is another president in the history of mankind who has uttered so many lies in one day. He participated in interviews with several prominent newspaper groups in the US, and basically said whatever he wanted to. I think his successful tactic which should be followed by all presidents is based on three basic themes. Here are the guidelines. First, he should say: “These statements are wrong;” second, he should say, “I never said that;” and third, he should ask, “What about you?” Here is one of the interviews.
Interviewer: We are happy to have an interview with Iran’s president Mahmud Ahmadinejad. Did you have a good time in America, Sir?
A: Yes, America is a beautiful country with people who love the truth. But I am sure you can never ask Mr. Bush whether he has had a good time in America, because Zionists would not let you. But in my country, any body can ask the president this question.
Interviewer: We know that in Iran many newspapers are under pressure and many have been banned. Why are newspapers banned there?
A: This is Zionist propaganda. No country in the world has the freedoms of press that Iranian newspapers enjoy. Writers in Iran are absolutely free, and they even write poetry. Can you tell poetry in America?
Interviewer: But during your presidential term some 11 newspapers have been banned and I can provide you with their names.
A: I too can provide you with tens of names such as Newsweek and Times, but does this mean that they have been banned? In any case, no press outlets have been banned during my administration, and we actually reward our writers to write anything they want against us. You know, these writers are doing so well that they do not come forward to receive their awards.
Interviewer: Many of your critics, including students, have been imprisoned without any trials. Why do you imprison students?
A: Just this year alone I went to the University of Tehran to give a talk and thousands of students came to the gathering and asked me anything they wanted. Some of them even beat me up, which was ok with me, because they are like my own children. We have no need for such actions. 107 percent of university students support us, so why should we imprison them?
Interviewer: How can 107 percent of students support you?
A: This is because of special circumstances in Iran. You must come to Iran and see it for yourself. Then you will be able to make a better judgment yourself. What if I tell you that 124 percent of the population support the current government? These are the realities in Iran. If you wish to understand us, then you must understand these.
Interviewer: During your term, the police raid houses that have satellite receivers. Is this not limiting people’s freedoms?
A: We cannot stop the freedom of the police, because we believe in 360 degrees of freedom. The police can raid a house on the residents’ consent, so do you expect us to interfere in the private affairs of people? Naturally we cannot do this.
Interviewer: On your first trip to New York you had said that a halo of light surrounded you as you were giving your talk at the UN General Assembly …
A: I never said such a thing. In fact this is what my opponents have said.
Interviewer: But UTube has a short movie clip of your visit to cleric Javadi Amoli in which you say precisely this. Would you like me to show you the film?
A: In Iran we do not have a cleric by the name of Javadi Amoli. How can I visit someone who does not exist? Do you believe such a lie?
Interviewer: Ok. We will show the film and then later you give us your opinion.
[The video clip is shown as Ahmadinejad and others watch it.]
A: This film is a fabrication of the Zionists. How come you did not notice it? Everybody in Iran knows that the person in the film is not me.
The interviewer losses consciousness and another reporter takes his place.
A: Reality is always dangerous. Did you see how your reporter friend collapsed? In Iran, a reporter never looses his consciousness.
The new interviewer: Some of your opponents are calling for a referendum over the Islamic Republic, and you arrest them. Why do you not allow them to have such a referendum?
A: This is a statement by the Zionists. In fact, we had a referendum in Iran some six months ago and 98 percent of the public voted for the Islamic Republic again. Why don’t your television stations broadcast these events? It is because you are not allowed to. Truth is dead in the West.
The new interviewer: But as far as we know there has been no referendum in Iran during the last ten years. Was there really a referendum in Iran recently?
A: Yes, because that is what the public wanted. You censored this news. Because Zionists control the media in the West. No European country too published this news. Even Islamic countries did not publish it. Does this not show how victimized we are?
The new interviewer: But your own media too did not publish the news of this referendum that you talk about. Otherwise we would have known about it.
A: This is precisely the point. Freedom in Iran exists at 360 degrees, even for our own radio and television networks. They have the freedom to publish or not to publish the news of a referendum, and in this case they decided not to publish it. And we do not wish to impose anything on them. Unlike in the US, we do not decide what our media should do or publish.
The new interviewer: I have no other questions.
A; Does anybody else have a question? I can postpone my return to Iran for this. Finally I invite you to come to Iran to see the realities for yourself.