Questions posted relation to article: Comments on Persian Sphinx

Dear Agha-ye Sheibany,

I found your comments on the Persian Sphinx fascinating.

I would very much appreciate your elaborating the different and competing agendas of the British, American and Soviet interest that might have contributed to the undermining of the Shah's government. I have been reading a great many memoirs by Americans who were stationed there--and their views seem completely in sympathy with the Shah before the revolution and after.

There are so many conflicting accounts of the Shah's regime--it is difficult to get a sense of how that society was functioning. Are you writing a book on that era by any chance? Many thanks for your reflections. I look forward to hearing from you.

M. S

REPLY:

Thank you for the interest you have shown in my comments on the Persian Sphinx.

The query you have raised is a very broad and lengthy subject. One has to consider the history of Imperialism, Capitalism, Marxism and the mechanisms they functioned under within their conflicting interests, together with the effect of improvement in technology, raised income level, general information and public awareness.

The effect of oil in shaping the modern world is the major factor to be considered for deciding the different and competing agenda of the British who had their foot in Iran, and the Americans and the Soviets who were interested in opening a foothold there. To this is to be added that the Imperialism, old or new, feeds on the very poor understanding of the inhabitants.

The economic factors and government classified documents such as those in the U.S. archives, a part of which is being reported in the Sphinx, and the contents of the British archive such as those revealed by Mr. Ghani are a much better indicator of these competing agenda's and are recommended as good source.

The advance in the science of mass movement and creating mass hysteria through simple rules of mass hypnotism, using the attraction of the beautiful word “democracy”, together with simplicity of the average mind in the third world, hides lots of realities and gives rise to all kinds of speculation. This is why the highest importance in making judgment on political happenings should be, I believe, given to economic motives.

For your information my uncle, Abdol-Hamid Sheybani, several years ago wrote a book on western involvement in Iran's economic affairs and how it was aimed at primarily destroying our country. The main emphasis of this book is to explain the economic motives that has shaped world politics after the 2^nd world war from the perspective of Iranian technocrats. The name of this book is “Zowbe Ahan e Ariamehr”.

Sincerely,  Amir Khosrow Sheibany