[img]984|left|Armen Saginian||no_popup[/img]While preparing for a second video taped interview for an upcoming documentary about his controversial book, “Mission for Mohammed and Islam,” Armen Saginian answered questions about the current state of affairs in Iran, his homeland.
Mr. Saginian was born in Tabriz in 1933. His Christian parents were of Armenian, Georgian and Persian lineage.
A registered professional engineer who emigrated to America in 1955, he is married with two grown sons.
Recently Mr. Saginian, fluent in several languages, translated an important and politically sensitive volume, “Rage Against the Veil —The Courageous Life and Death of an Islamic Dissident,” by Parvin Darabi and Roman Thomson from English omto Farsi.
In “Rage Against the Veil,” Ms. Darabi tells the story of her sister, Dr. Homa Darabi.
Standing in a crowded public square in Tehran in 1994, Dr. Darabi shouted “Death to tyranny! Long live freedom! Long live Iran!”
So saying, she poured gasoline over herself and self- immolated before horrified onlookers.
As relations between Iran and the U.S. have deteriorated, Mr. Saginian's views on the situation in Iran take on a more urgent meaning.
Do you think there is sufficient opposition to the government in Iran to overthrow it without the U.S. or Israel sending in troops or bombing their nuclear installations?
“Yes. I know for a fact there is enough opposition.”
Have you approached the U.S. government with ideas on how removal of the current Iranian government might be achieved without military intervention?
“For years, I was working as a delegate from the Armenian minorities with the so-called opposition that was supposedly trying to change the regime. It was all a sham. Their leaders had their hands out to the CIA for money. They did nothing. The only involvement from the U.S. government was to put stumbling blocks in our way.”
What was British Petroleum's role in Iran, and what were the consequences of their role?
“The British government was a majority stockholder in British Petroleum until around 1979.They are still a servant of the British government as was the East India Trading Co., which began in 1600. They sucked the financial blood from India for more than three centuries. British Petroleum helped create the Islamic mayhem that is causing bloodshed in the world today. What British Petroleum did in Iran and the Middle East was to continue activities similar to that perpetuated by the East India Trading Co. They overthrew governments, they killed people, they destroyed land, they drained Iran's wealth, they caused illiteracy, they enslaved the Iranian people, and they eliminated their foes.”
What role does Saudi Arabia play in causing unrest in the Middle East?
“The ruling family controls Saudi Arabia. They are all members of the Ghorayshi family. They are dictators of the entire region. They only care about their own existence. They would not have become rulers if it were not for the Wahabis. The earlier Arab states existed in name only. The real state was created by the British after World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Saudi Arabia was created in the 1920s. The Wahabis played an important role in that creation.”
Who are the Wahabis and what influence do they have in Saudi Arabia?
“The Wahabis are a small and belligerent sect within the Sunnis. They were of little importance until Islamic groups seized control of the region. The Wahabis were named after one of their leaders, Mohammed bin Abdul Wahabi. Today, if an individual or group petition the country of Saudi Arabia, they can receive funds if they promise that they will start a mosque or a madrassah that will be dedicated to propagating Wahabi beliefs.”
What is Sharia law?
“Sharia law was created by Omar and his followers after Mohammed was murdered (in 632). Mohammed had nothing to do with it. Much like Judaism and Christianity, laws came into being after the prophets were gone. Omar and his followers felt that in order to control the Bedouin tribesmen, very strict laws were needed. Omar started by taking Bedouin traditions and putting them down as law. Not all traditions became law. Some traditions, such as cutting off the hand of a thief, became law. The book of Shariat became the law decades after Mohammed's murder.”
Mr. Hawkins, who is in the midst of producing a documentary on Mr. Saginian, may be contacted at rjhculvercity@aol.com
