Why is Iran so disliked?

Aztec123

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Reply 1

Pikachū

Zionists in positions of power in media.

Reply 2

Tempest II

Maybe it has something to do with them exporting terrorism around the globe? Or storming an American Embassy & taking all the staff as hostages? They're also disliked in other Muslim nations as they're Shia rather than Sunni.

It didn't exactly help international relations when one of their religious authority figures in 2010 suggested that earthquakes were caused by women dressing too immodestly.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boobquake&ved=0ahUKEwi4x-yQoazRAhVEWxoKHYPxDAQQFggaMAA&usg=AFQjCNEPxvKx2oHbMkETqeWUtonQvkKcGA&sig2=EfWMPIvrupCVd7mYiR5xRg

Reply 3

sleepysnooze

because they're a theocracy that wants nukes...

Reply 4

username2950448

They have been sworn enemies of the U.S. since the 1979 Revolution, and Bush branding Iran as part of the "axis of evil" solidified Iran's position as an international pariah. The U.S. largely sets the global political agenda with tremendous soft power (shows like 300 and Argo depicting Persians/Iran in a bad light), so they have been largely responsible for the anti-Iran narrative that exists.

The fact that it is a Persian Shia nation in a region of Arab Sunni nations does it no favours either.

Reply 5

RF_PineMarten

Because it's a backwards Islamist theocracy that has a terrible human rights record and that brutally suppresses opposition.

Reply 6

l'etranger

The West needed an enemy since the fall of the Soviet Union, it's stupid though, if we're kind to them they won't bother with nuked and we can work together against the real enemy.

^"real enemy"?

Original post by Pikachū

^"real enemy"?

Global Salafism.

Reply 9

Trinculo

They're a pissy little nation living off past glories that really have no connection with their modern day population. The Iranian diaspora around the world are now well into their second generation at least, and a lot of them profess some support for the old country, even though their parents or grandparents fled in terror of being imprisoned or murdered following the fall of the Shah. All they do now is own shops and tell people that they're the world's greatest businessmen.

They think they're at least a regional military power, even though all they really have is a huge number of armed thugs ready to terrorise civilians or people unwilling to fight back. In a stand-up fight against any modern nation, Iran would be destroyed in about a week.

They can't square the circle of deciding what their identity is. Either they were a world beating Zoroastrian Empire 2000 years ago, or little btich Shiite revolutionaries today. Which one is it? They like to think both. That's why no-one likes them.

Reply 10

Pikachū

Original post by l'etranger

Global Salafism.

Salafism is anti degeneracy

model for the west

Reply 11

l'etranger

Original post by Pikachū

Salafism is anti degeneracy

model for the west

That's funny because I don't know a Salafi who wasn't a complete horny mess

Reply 12

Pikachū

Original post by l'etranger

That's funny because I don't know a Salafi who wasn't a complete horny mess

Reply 13

That'sGreat

Because the US said so, and as soon as the US puts you on their enemy list, you're done for. To the guy who said they export terrorism and ****, are the US much better?

Reply 14

username2324315

You must be a pretty crazy country if you favour theocracy over secular democracy, to the point where you literally have a revolution in order to supplement an Islamic Republic. That is, along with other things, why I don't hold a favourable view on Iran, anyway.

Reply 15

l'etranger

Original post by Pikachū

It's true, when I was a kid I had huge respect for Muslims generally, and whilst I totally reject the chav tier EDL bigotry and general holding of Muslims responsible in the collective sense for terrorism (which is completely invalid and backward) Muslim communities are by far the absolute worst in terms of drug abuse, unemployment and guys acting like baller roadmen when they're working minimum wage in gas stations. It's funny to say White people belong on the Jeremy Kyle show, but it's not the most accurate reflection of who is worst for actual degeneracy and the fact Saudi Arabia became rich off of natural resources and Desi/African slave labour rather than ingenuity and hard work is a part of the wider hypocrisy.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 16

username2950448

Original post by Trinculo

They're a pissy little nation

a fantastically objective introduction from which i can already tell your opinion will be very reasonable

Iran is roughly the size of all of Western Europe, so hardly "little", but that is relative I guess.

living off past glories that really have no connection with their modern day population.

such as?

Iran was the 9th country in the world to send a satellite into space, and is ranked 12th of all time for the International Mathematics Olympiad (one above Japan and one below the UK), has the world's highest growth in scientific output (and is now above Israel and Turkey) - I could go on, but my point is that it doesn't just live off past glories as you suggest.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/iran-9th-country-world-launch-satellite-space/
https://www.imo-official.org/results_country.aspx?column=awards&order=desc
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/would-turkey-become-as-good-as-iran-.aspx?PageID=238&NID=94375&NewsCatID=513

The Iranian diaspora around the world are now well into their second generation at least, and a lot of them profess some support for the old country, even though their parents or grandparents fled in terror of being imprisoned or murdered following the fall of the Shah.

Is it not possible to be fond of the country but not the regime currently in charge?

All they do now is own shops and tell people that they're the world's greatest businessmen.

Many do own businesses, but this does the (mainly Iranian-American) diaspora an injustice.

Almost one in three Iranian American households have annual incomes of more than $100K (compared to one in five for the overall U.S. population). 50% are in professional/managerial occupations, more than any other group in the U.S. More than 25% hold a Master's/PhD.

http://paaia.org/galleries/new-gallery/Survey_of_Iranian_Americans_Final_Report_Dec_10%202008.pdf

They think they're at least a regional military power, even though all they really have is a huge number of armed thugs ready to terrorise civilians or people unwilling to fight back. In a stand-up fight against any modern nation, Iran would be destroyed in about a week.

What is a "stand-up" fight? Is the West sending drones to bomb people from thousands of feet in the sky "a stand-up fight"?

Their conventional military is very weak (saved by a large army because of conscription), but their asymmetrical capacities and largest inventory of ballistic missiles in the region are pretty strong deterrents - just ask Israel/U.S., who had plenty of opportunity to attack Iran. Israel in particular wasted no time in bombing nuclear facilities in Syria/Iraq.

Besides, it is Netanyahu that said Iran was "in control of four Arab capitals" - so take it up with him.

They can't square the circle of deciding what their identity is. Either they were a world beating Zoroastrian Empire 2000 years ago, or little btich Shiite revolutionaries today. Which one is it? They like to think both. That's why no-one likes them.

There is a struggle for identity, but (i) is this really only true in Iran? You could say that there is a struggle of identity in the U.K. - with roughly half favouring an outward-looking pro-internationalist view, and the other half favouring an inward-looking isolationist view. (ii) I don't think the majority of people know about this struggle, let alone dislike Iran for this reason.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 17

Aztec123

Original post by Palmyra

Almost one in three Iranian American households have annual incomes of more than $100K (compared to one in five for the overall U.S. population). 50% are in professional/managerial occupations, more than any other group in the U.S. More than 25% hold a Master's/PhD.

http://paaia.org/galleries/new-gallery/Survey_of_Iranian_Americans_Final_Report_Dec_10%202008.pdf

Iranians in the UK are doing very poorly though by comparison. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-484927/Labour-thinktank-names-immigrants-drain-taxpayer.html

What's the cause of the big performance difference between the two countries?

Reply 18

username2950448

Original post by george_c00per

I am afraid this is wrong on many levels.

Firstly, the Shah was a brutal dictator - he did not preside over anything close to a secular democracy.

Secondly, people protested against the anti-democratic Shah, not for an Islamic Republic. They fought for democracy, and armed thugs took control of the power vacuum, installing ayatollahs who made big promises of free energy, good ties with the U.S., no mandatory Islamic dress clothes, etc. Once in charge, they reneged on these promises, dropped the "Democratic" from the official name, and created an Islamic dictatorship. Then Saddam invaded in 1980 and the people had no choice but to unite under the newly formed Islamic Republic to defend their country. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Iran remains a country with a very positive future, 60% of its population are under 30 and didn't live through the revolution thus care little for it, Iran has a rich history of religious integration (largest population of Jews in the region outside of Israel, least anti-Semitic country in the region (according to the ADL), a Jewish MP, etc). In the last Majlis (parliament) elections in 2016, 30/30 MPs elected from Tehran were reformists. Iran is an Islamic dictatorship and the system is heavily against reform/reformists, but Iranians want change, and it is inevitable that it is change they will get.

http://iranfashion.com/2017/01/06/look-irans-diverse-religious-history/

Lets also not forget the huge 2009 protests, where millions protested against the rigged election and were brutally suppressed. The government doesn't represent the people.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 19

username2950448

Original post by Aztec123

I would guess that the Iranian-American diaspora are those that left immediately before/during the Revolution, and largely belonged to the educated/middle classes, whereas Iranians in the UK came much more recently, and more likely for individual reasons such as seeking asylum etc.