Change My View: I Don't Trust the U.S., Israel, or Saudi Arabia on Iran

[AStern]

Since reading 'Persian Mirrors: The Elusive Face of Iran' by Elaine Sciolino back in the early naughts, I re-evaluated what I thought I knew about Iran.

Since then, I no longer buy the narrative pushed by the U.S., Israel, or Saudi Arabia that Iran is this singular, existential threat to humanity. Frankly, I don't trust any of those governments to offer a good-faith portrayal of the country or its people. They each have their own agendas, and history has shown how easily public perception can be manipulated to justify foreign policy decisions, usually with disastrous results.

And let’s not forget Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s infamous “wipe Israel off the map” statement. It was a reckless and idiotic thing to say, but it was also his opinion, not the official policy of the Iranian government, and certainly not a reflection of the views of all Iranians. Yet Israel (and much of the West) spun that into a justification for endless paranoia, as if one man’s bluster equaled a national war cry. That kind of distortion just feeds the cycle of fear and escalation.

That said, I’m not blind to the serious human rights abuses committed by Iran’s leadership. The government is authoritarian, repressive, and violent toward its own citizens, particularly women, activists, and dissenters. I do believe change is necessary. But I also believe Iranians are more than capable of bringing about that change themselves, and that outside interference, especially military or economic, often makes things worse, not better.

So here’s where I’m at: I'm open to being challenged. If you believe Iran is the threat it’s made out to be, or that outside intervention is justified, I’d like to hear why. I just ask that you come with facts, not fearmongering. Change my view. I'm listening.