Tehran, YJC. Analyst says the Iranian society’s negative outlook toward the West is less empirical and more psychological.
"It seems that in our society opposition to the West has less logical
roots than psychological ones,” said Mahmood Sariolghalam, academic who is
known as a theoretician of the 11th administration.
"Negative reaction to the international order comes from our weakness,”
Sariolghalam asserted, adding "If we were powerful and had the wealth of
quality to compete on the international arena as Brazil, Indonesia, and South
Korea do; and if we had created a system revolving around production, merit, wealth
production, and quality, we would not have felt so weak against the West and we
would not have taken to reaction. We would have rather had a reasonable life in
our own scale.”
Sariolghalam the political commentator whose statements have recently
met some harsh response from the right wing further stated "One who is able
will not live through reaction. If we study the modes of thought and action of Asian
countries we will see that by improving their abilities, they have gained a
reasonable share in international relations and their peoples are also well
respected.”
Pointing to the notion of an American scheme against Iranians he said "In
religious texts it is asserted that when there is oppression, both the
oppressor and the oppressed are guilty. We have taken on the Western oppression
because we have been weak. Why is not the US able to appoint the Malaysian
Prime Minister or restrict the economy of Brazil? Because they have created a
system which is not prone to damage. And in the meantime they have enough
self-esteem to not have to live in constant fear.”