____________________________________________ 7 IICC Perspectives contribution to humanity, expressed in the Cyrus Cylinder, the world’s first declaration of humanity. A proud, patriotic society Iranians find it difficult to cooperate and work with others, and selfishness is prominent in all social strata. The Iranian struggles to accept that others may be no less worthy than himself, which makes sincere cooperation with peers very difficult. To obscure their feelings, they will often shower their partner or rival with compliments and flattery, but will also consider him inferior (something “an outsider wouldn’t understand …”). Corruption Institutional corruption has always been a hallmark of Iranian society and the economy. With the collapse of the old order and the rise of a new elite, corruption spread further, often under the cover of a bureaucracy of intimidation which has taken over every aspect of life. Nepotism thrives, and new dynasties of ruling families seize Iran’s wealth and maintain massive economic empires. Beneath the layer of the regime’s political ambitions and messianic pretensions lies an outdated system of patronage that corrupts anyone who comes near it. Ketman, the avoidance of being truthful Ketman means you deny your actions and true opinions, even as you strive to fulfill them. Iran’s current position regarding the nuclear issue, and the claims of “civilian nuclear energy,” are a good example of Ketman, not exactly a lie, but certainly not the truth. Before Khomeini’s men came to power, they repeatedly promised the American administration that “the Islamic government,” once established, would continue to maintain close ties with the United States, which stood in stark contradiction to Khomeini’s worldview and intentions. But not only did they say it, they promised it. Few months later they invaded and occupied the American embassy in Tehran for 444 days, taking some 52 diplomats as hostages. In April 2008 a former Iranian minister told me, “Iran has 3,000 years of history. If in each year we learned only two or three new ways to lie, then today we have 12,000 ways …” An Iranian who tells a lie is, in doing so, expressing what he believes is the right thing to say at that moment, and therefore feels almost no remorse. Truth and falsehood in Iran are flexible concepts. Ketman and sighe (temporary marriage, see below) occupy a special place in both individual and collective behavior and are derived from religious rulings (fatwas), permissions or prohibitions. When a Shi’ite is in a hostile environment, he is allowed to pretend he sides with the majority.
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