Should Iranians Invite Foreign Intervention?

This is an edited version of the correspondence, which took place between Pakistani commentator Ahmed Quraishi, Iranian journalist Shahab Mossavat, and an American Paul Sheldon Foote, who served in the US Embassy in Tehran. It stemmed from Ahmed Quraishi's response to the article published by Nazila Fathi in Monday's New York Times.

This fascinating discussion continues on Facebook where it originated. Click here to see the debate or join it.

Here are excerpts:

AHMED QURAISHI: Pakistan should learn from this. Dissent is one thing, but saboteurs backed by foreign meddling should never be tolerated. Iran's government is not perfect, not by any shot. But at least they are patriotic. The same can't be said about those sitting in US and UK and helping outsiders interfere in Iran. We in Pakistan long for the day when we shut down outside meddling for good.
 
SHAHAB MOSSAVAT: Have you left your senses? Iran's government "patriotic"? Are you deranged? It stifles INTERNAL criticism; it forces dissidents into its dungeons or if they are lucky into exile; It is intolerant of anything that approaches pluralistic representation; it persecutes, without mercy, minorities, it deems to be anathema to its narrowly dogmatic view of Islam, such as the Bah'ais. What exactly is it that YOU are dreaming of? Sounds like a nightmare. And I suppose you call shedding light on that in the free press outside Iran (where there is no such thing), interference. Are you a journalist or an apologist for something you half understood once standing in a dark room, facing the wall, wearing blinkers?
 
ADNAN KHAN: Shahab, How many Drone attacks in Iran, How Many Iranians handed over to the CIA for rape and torture? How many members of Blackwater inside Iran? How many Ayatollahs in Iran have stolen 10% of the treasury? How many Insurgents from Iraq are coming into Iran to kill Iranians? You can’t just talk about the bad; Iran’s leadership has done well. It’s funny when USA talks about Neda Solten, How many Neda Solten’s have US soldiers raped and tortured in Iraq, and Afghanistan, honestly probably over 10,000.

PAUL SHELDON FOOTE: Shahab, as an American who has appeared on your television program when you worked at Press TV, I am familiar with many of your excellent programs. However, I am surprised by your positions in the exchange of views with Ahmed Quraishi and with Adnan Khan.  I have lived and worked in Iran both during the reign of the Shah of Iran and during the period of the Islamic Republic of Iran. During the Shah’s reign, I worked at the American Embassy in Tehran. I married my Iranian wife in Tehran 41 years ago ...

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