Mohsen Sazegara

as I said, that if you tell me that you have only two choices, a military dictator like Shah but want to modernize Iran, and a religious regime like Islamic Republic and a guy like Khomeini or Khamenei, which one do you choose? You have no other option. I say, OK, definitely I choose a military dictator that wants to modernize Iran.

as I said, that if you tell me that you have only two choices, a military dictator like Shah but want to modernize Iran, and a religious regime like Islamic Republic and a guy like Khomeini or Khamenei, which one do you choose? You have no other option. I say, OK, definitely I choose a military dictator that wants to modernize Iran.

We found out, now that we go back and look at what happened in Iran, I can say that if Shah was more Democrat, if Shah, let me say something, quote you, when I was in Iran and I went to different universities, I had lots of lectures and classrooms for students. That was one of the reasons that they arrested me. Once in University of Kerman,

We found out, now that we go back and look at what happened in Iran, I can say that if Shah was more Democrat, if Shah, let me say something, quote you, when I was in Iran and I went to different universities, I had lots of lectures and classrooms for students. That was one of the reasons that they arrested me. Once in University of Kerman,

I said to students in auditorium, maybe 1,000 students were over there. I said that if I had my today knowledge at the days of Islamic revolution, which is impossible, but suppose that I had that knowledge and that wisdom.

I said to students in auditorium, maybe 1,000 students were over there. I said that if I had my today knowledge at the days of Islamic revolution, which is impossible, but suppose that I had that knowledge and that wisdom.

Then in 1977, when Shah started a little changes in his regime, I definitely recommended him that, Mr. Shah, now that you are going to remove and want to bring to power, this is a reform in your regime. Inject some other things in your reform injection. Open the prisons. Let the political prisoners come out, not the terrorists, but the ordinary opposition. Go for a free election.

Then in 1977, when Shah started a little changes in his regime, I definitely recommended him that, Mr. Shah, now that you are going to remove and want to bring to power, this is a reform in your regime. Inject some other things in your reform injection. Open the prisons. Let the political prisoners come out, not the terrorists, but the ordinary opposition. Go for a free election.

Let them run for a free election. He already did it in 1960. And because he knew that he had cancer, I said to students that I was volunteer to write his speech as well, to say to the people that, OK, I'm ill. I wanted to do for you the best, people of Iran. Now I'm dying. This is my son. and the council of monarchy, they run the country. And so open the doors a little bit.

Let them run for a free election. He already did it in 1960. And because he knew that he had cancer, I said to students that I was volunteer to write his speech as well, to say to the people that, OK, I'm ill. I wanted to do for you the best, people of Iran. Now I'm dying. This is my son. and the council of monarchy, they run the country. And so open the doors a little bit.

And I said that, do you know what happened if he did that in 1977? Millions of people came to streets and said that, oh, don't go. We forgive you for whatever we have heard about you. He, even until November 1978, he still was not thinking that he can, for instance, talk about Mossadegh or accept until December or January 1978.

And I said that, do you know what happened if he did that in 1977? Millions of people came to streets and said that, oh, don't go. We forgive you for whatever we have heard about you. He, even until November 1978, he still was not thinking that he can, for instance, talk about Mossadegh or accept until December or January 1978.

I mean, yes, if you are comparing these two regimes, definitely regime of Shah was more successful and had more benefit for the people of Iran. Why? Because they wanted to modernize Iran. What was the big mistake? I think that democratization. You can't have economic development if you don't have any political development, social and cultural development.

I mean, yes, if you are comparing these two regimes, definitely regime of Shah was more successful and had more benefit for the people of Iran. Why? Because they wanted to modernize Iran. What was the big mistake? I think that democratization. You can't have economic development if you don't have any political development, social and cultural development.

He was against Israel. Why? I think that the Islamic Revolution was born anti-Israeli because on those days, again, go back to 70s, to be pro-Palestinians, pro-PLO, anti-Israel was something that you were not intellectual or you were not Muslim if you were not anti-Israel. And everybody believed that Israel should be wiped out from the map, even on those days. Khomeini was not the only person.

He was against Israel. Why? I think that the Islamic Revolution was born anti-Israeli because on those days, again, go back to 70s, to be pro-Palestinians, pro-PLO, anti-Israel was something that you were not intellectual or you were not Muslim if you were not anti-Israel. And everybody believed that Israel should be wiped out from the map, even on those days. Khomeini was not the only person.

No, U.S. I think was above that.

No, U.S. I think was above that.

Western Europe.

Western Europe.