I am running for President of Iran. My name is Dr. Hooshang Amirahmadi, ask me anything!

Lots of questions very quickly. I will do my best to address all of them

I doubt you'll be able to, but good luck!

HE SAID ALL OF THEM. HOLY FUCK.

I guess I didn't realize how much interest there was among Redditors. No chance to answer them all, but I'll answer as many as possible!

Wikipedia says you have been disqualified by the Guardian Council. Is that true, and if so, would you call your campaign a protest? Is there any polling in Iran? Any way of estimating support? Would it be dangerous to vote for you? Are absentee ballots allowed? Are you allowed any kind of platform in Iran? Can you give speeches, distribute literature? Or are you inhibited in your campaign? What is your long term goal, and how do you estimate your chances of achieving it?

In 2005, I put my name down as a candidate, but it was not really serious. I entered the race about one month before the election day and my purpose was not really to stay the course, but rather to make a statement. Much of Iran’s intelligentsia was boycotting that election and I was afraid that by boycotting, we are going to get someone elected that will not be hospitable to democracy and human rights. History proven me right. So I wanted to record my name in history as someone who did not boycott. That was the only reason. I did not have a platform or a campaign staff and organization to help me. This time , I am a serious candidate. I have an organization and people working for me. I have a platform. We have volunteers both outside and inside the country.

Furthermore, the situations in Iran between 2005 to 2013 are radically different. Iran in 2005 was not in the same dire condition that it is today. Factional infighting has really become a serious destabilizing matter in the Islamic Republic. As you know, Ahmadinejad and Larijani had a serious encounter in the Parliament just this week. The factions within the Right, which controls the country now, have moved from rivalry to animosity. I expect this animosity to increase to the extent that it really will become impossible for the factions to coexist. That means that they will need someone from the outside to bring them together. That is me, as a bridge builder.

Secondly, in 2005, the US-Iran conflict was not as bad as it is today. Now we have sanctions on oil and banks and the sanctions are almost all-encompassing. Oil revenue is almost 1/3 of what it was in 2005. The Iranian banking system has become isolated from the international banking system. The US-Iran relationship has come to a point where i believe the status quo of ‘no war no peace’ in 2005 is no longer viable or tenable. That status quo is very unstable, so the two countries very soon will have to make a decision between war and peace. I am hoping that peace will come, but i am not sure if the IR can deliver peace with the US. They don’t have the kind of people in the system, since many of them are problem makers rather than problem solvers. I have spent 25 years of my life trying to bring the US and Iran back together in a normal relationship. I have produced lots of opportunities, but unfortunately some of those opportunities were lost by Tehran or Washington. For example, in 2005 I brought then-Secretary of State to extend a regret and later an apology for the 1953 coup, but unfortunately the iranian government failed to reciprocate. I was hoping that they would apologize for the hostage crisis.

Finally, Iran is facing declining production, high unemployment, and high inflation, with a rial plunged to a very low level. I am an economic development expert and a planner. So here I come in as a problem solver.

I am a bridge builder, peacemaker, and economic developemnt expert and manager. That is why i believe i can help and that Iran needs me. i am hoping that the Islamic Republic realizes this is, and allows the Iranian people to vote for me.

I appreciate you doing this AMA and you seem to be addressing it in part to the Guardian Council. Do you think demonstrable interest in your candidacy on a (largely) English language, Western website will help your chances of being allowed to run in the next election?

I don't think that talking to Redditors will hurt my chances in any way. It can only help by driving more global attention to my candidacy. In fact, my campaign has been generating tremendous enthusiasm in Persian-language, English-language, and other media. I recently delivered a speech at a major event at NYU. I had an article in The New Yorker and The Jerusalem Post, and appeared on the Brian Lehrer Show. I also had an interview in Iran's popular Shargh newspaper, as well as the UAE's Gulf News. In fact, just yesterday I was talking to a Brazilian newspaper and tomorrow I will be interviewed by a Brazilian magazine.

My point is that this campaign is a truly international campaign that is trying to bring in the global community behind a set of peaceful ideas and prescriptions for legal reform. My hope is that you all will support me in whatever way you can.

Links: http://www.newyorker.com/talk/2013/02/11/130211ta_talk_schmidle

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/2013/feb/01/new-jerseys-iranian-presidential-candidate/

http://sharghdaily.ir/Default.aspx?NPN_Id=12&pageno=8#

http://amirahmadi.com/take_action/donate.htm

Could you disclose which Brazilian media outlets are those? I'm Brazilian myself and I look forward to reading your interviews.

Yesterday was with Estadão.com.br – Portal de notícias de O Estado de S. Paulo

Tomorrow is with ÉPOCA magazine.

My Brazilian friend, would you kindly post the link to yesterday's article if you find it? I have not been able to find it. Perhaps it has not been published just yet.

At this point, no candidate (not me, not Messrs. Ghalibaf, Velayati, etc.) is allowed to publicly campaign in Iran. In that sense, all candidates are in the same boat. No candidate can publicly campaign until he gets the approval of the Guardian Council, which will be delivered in late-May. So far, my campaign has been very active campaigning in the United States, Dubai, and the United Kingdom. We will be travelling to Iran in March, but not for public campaigns. With your help, we want to take our message of peace around the world. The fact is that there are two necessary factors for successful campaigns: ideas and money. We are hoping to build a grassroots movement with broad based support. By donating, you are not only helping fund our campaign organization (incorporated under Amirahmadi 1392, Inc.), you are investing in Iran's future. None of this money goes to me personally; it all goes into our small political organization.

http://amirahmadi.com/take_action/donate.htm

It is not dangerous to vote for me. In fact, no Iranian citizen has been penalized for simply voting for or supporting a legal candidate.

Questions for Redditors:

1. If you were an Iranian citizen, would you vote for me? Why or why not?

2. Would you kindly support our campaign in some meaningful way? We are looking for support from volunteers, interns, and of course financial support.

In particular, we can use the help of people with the following skills: digital photography, videography, video editors, web designers, and graphic designers. If you have this professional skill set and are interested, let us know your location. We plan on hosting campaign events around the US, Iran and around the world. We are trying to run this campaign as efficiently as possible without wasting a dollar. Maybe you can help us at an upcoming event by providing your skill set.

If you can't get involved in a hands-on sense, we can still use your financial support. On behalf of my small campaign staff, I am humbly asking Redditors for ten dollar donations, if possible. We want as many people as possible to feel INVESTED in this campaign and in Iran's political future. http://amirahmadi.com/take_action/donate.htm

I'm a photographer from the UK, could I help out if I hypothetically came to Iran (which I'd love to do)? or do you need help within the UK?

We definitely will need help in the UK. We are coming to London in about one week. Can you send an email to info@amirahmadi.com with your skill set and city in the subject line? Thanks

I'm half Iranian (my father grew up in Tabriz), but born and raised in Sweden. However, I'm both a Swedish and Iranian citizen (I have an Iranian passport at least), so I'm wondering if it's possible for me to vote for you from Sweden? If it is, I will certainly look into it.

Yes. According to Iranian law, if your father is an Iranian citizen, then you can have Iranian citizenship (regardless of where you were born). Expatriate citizens are allowed to vote. In fact the Islamic Republic encourages absentee ballots. Please do vote for me and please tell your friends about me too.

Wow. Thank you so much for all of the replies and offers to help with your professional skills. I can hardly keep track of all these offers. In order to streamline the process, would you kindly send an email to info@amirahmadi.com. Please include your city and professional skill set in the subject line. I will do my best to have my communications director reach out to you. Thank you!

1) Absolutely. This is honestly the first time I've heard of you, but just from reading your AMA you seem like a great choice. I sincerely hope that you become president and work towards US-Iran relations because at the moment that's looking like a scary situation.

Would it even be possible to be elected with an American citizenship though?

Hi Andrew,

Yes, I can run for the Iranian Presidency because I am a citizen of Iran. According to Iranian Constitutional law, citizens can run for elected office, and the only way an Iranian citizen can rescind his citizenship is by explicitly writing a request for revocation, which must be approved by the Cabinet of Minsters. I have never done so, and do not intend to do so. Therefore, because I was born in Iran, I remain an Iranian citizen with all the rights citizenship entails.

Second, many of the Islamic Republic’s leaders, including Ayatollah Khomeini and Mr. Bani Sadr, lived abroad prior to returning to Iran to lead the government. My case is no different than that of Mr. Bani Sadr, who was also a citizen of France.

Third, the Islamic Republic actively encourages Iranian expatriates to participate in the voting process, even going so far as to set up polling stations in North America and Europe. Since these Iranian citizens retain the right to vote for a candidate, they also retain the right to be voted for as a candidate. Fourth, my candidacy as a dual citizen represents an expression of the rights of five million Iranian expatriate dual citizens. To reject my candidacy without a legal basis, would be not only to disenfranchise me. It would represent the disenfranchisement of millions of Iranian citizens living outside their native homeland.

Fifth, I have maintained very strong ties to Iran for my entire life. I have visited every year, still own a house there, and still see close friends and family in my homeland. Furthermore, I have worked on development on the front lines of the post war and post earthquake periods in Iran’s history. I have written extensively defending Iran’s territorial rights in the Caspian Sea and the islands of Abu Musa and Tunb. I have never stood for sanctions, war, or regime change in Iran, and my loyalty has been proven unquestionably by my life, writings, and actions.

Sixth, Islam does not recognize national borders, instead recognizing all Muslims as part of the ummah, the global community of followers bound together by religion. As a Muslim, I am part of this global community with the same rights as every other member.

Will you be campaigning in Belgium? I live in Brussels and I work in the film industry working as a videographer and graphic designer. I would love to help out in any way I can, so let me know if you need me. Thank you, and good luck!

Thank you very much. I will let you know if we come to Belgium. Can you send an email to info@amirahmadi.com with your city name and skill name in the subject line. I need an efficient way to keep track of all these generous offers!

Aren't websites like this blocked in Iran? If you were president, would you allow access to such "western" media?

I believe in freedom of press, freedom of media, including social media. In my administration there will be no restriction on any type of media. I believe in free speech.

Iranian exile here. What would it take for me to be able to take a vacation there at this point? At what point will the Israeli stamp on my passport not matter?

Don't the mullahs decide who gets to run?

Well, I think that Iranian expatriate has, and must have, the right to return to his/her homeland without any problem, given that they have a passport. At this point, an Israeli stamp on the passport will be problematic. Under my administration, it wouldn't be. Also, I will do everything in my power to reconnect the expatriate community to Iran. By reconnect, I want them to have a functional role-education, socioeconomic-real linkages with the homeland.

Mullahs don’t decide who nominates him/herself as a candidate. They cannot prohibit Iranians from registering people as candidates. However, the Guardian Council will vet candidates, which limits the pool to a few people. We will fight this.

Would the president of Iran have the power to liberalize re-entry requirements, or would that have to go through the legislature (or some other entity)?

The visa process is not part of the Parliamentary jurisdiction.

The Executive branch has tremendous power over the visa process. Re-entry requirements are within the authority of the executive branch. If Iran has no relationship with a country, obviously the power of the Executive branch is limited because that would be part of a broader approach to that particular country. The visa becomes a subset of that relationship, and to that extent it becomes difficult for the Executive branch to act on the visa while it doesn’t have a relationship with that country. But even today, Iran and the US have no relations and yet the Executive branch can indeed offer visas to any American it wants. It goes to the Foreign Ministry.

If elected, how do you plan on handling international relations?

The biggest problem for Iran is a lack of trust between the US Iran. I have lived 40 years in the US, I understand both cultures and laungages. I can easily build trust between the two countries. particularly because I have never been part of the problem between the US and Iran. I have tried to be part of the solution for 25 years.

Since you live in the US, do you spend a lot of time in Iran? For extended periods of time? You you fear that Iranians would see you as an outsider / american puppet?

I have lived in the US for 40 years, but have visited Iran time and time again. In fact, I returned to Iran as a developmental expert to work on reconstruction efforts at the front lines during/after the Iran-Iraq War. I have participated in similar reconstruction efforts after Iran's two major earthquakes. I have spent a great deal of time in Iran, still own a home there, and have an extensive network of friends and family in Iran. I believe the majority of Iranians are smart enough and fair enough to not dismiss me without any proof. I have always maintained consistent principles, and those who know me, know that I fight for what I believe in; not for any intelligence agency!

Is there there a taboo of being associated with United States in Iranian politics? Do you think that your time spent in the US will hurt your electability?

The majority of the Iranian people are for normal US - Iran relations. Even those who are critical of the US polices still support normalization of relations. My platform of normalizing relations is a very popular notion. It is also a source of strength over my election competitors.

Speaking of your competitors....How do you differ from them in the areas of foreign policy and political experience/expertise?

On foreign policy, I have spent 27 years on Iran's foreign policy. I have written extensively on Iran's foreign policy and American foreign policy in the Middle East. I have practiced foreign policy through the American Iranian Council and a vast network of former American officials in this country and elsewhere in Europe and the Middle East.

I have been in Iranian politics for over 40 years, originally as a young man interested in promoting democracy in the country and trying to help bring various domestic groups together. I have never been a member of apolitical party or groups, but have worked with all of them.

I am a bridge builder, while my competitors are enemies of one another. None of them have experience in bridge building between factions. The factions in the country and the candidates are enemies and have no intention of closing gaps. Instead they are isolating each other.

I have been on the side of reconciliation and national solidarity. Others have been dividing people and isolating each other. They don't seem to believe in unity or solidarity. They don't even talk about it as a propaganda tool!

Also, I am a peacemaker. I have been in US-Iran relations for over 20 years trying to build peace between the two nations. My competitors have been on the exact opposite side. They are troublemakers and create problems in US-Iran relations. Instead, I try to solve the problems.

By practice, I have very transparently shown through my record that I am a bridge builder and peacemaker and I have spent most of my life on this mission. I think that because I have never been a regime insider and never had an official position, nobody can make me responsible for the poor foreign policy decisions.

Almost all the rivals of mine will be coming from inside the system for 20-some years, identified with all the domestic and international problems. As such, they can hardly present themselves as bridge builders or peacemakers or anything close to that.

What are you a doctor of? Also, what are your feelings on Judaism in Iran?

My PhD is in planning and international development. I focus on socioeconomic development for nations. Judaism in Iran has a great history. Our Jewish brothers have lived with us for years. Iran and the Jewish people have historically not had any problems, it is a shame what is happening to our Jewish brothers. If I am elected all citizens will have equal rights regardless of their religion

What are you views on the treatment of women in your country? Do you plan to improve them?

I think 1979 revolution was originally not very hospitable to the woman's rights. However women have fought back, and they have significant rights under the theocracy. Yet, the situation is far from desirable. I plan to name a woman as Vice President. I will do everything in my power to promote women to high positions, from ministers to deputies, and so on. I don’t think that Iranian women have anything less than Iranian men. In fact, most university students right now are women, in Iran.

Good news! The donations from the Reddit community have just started coming in. We just received a $100 donation from Samuel Nadel. This is an extremely generous act, and we certainly do not expect such large donations. We are hoping to run this campaign on small $10 donations from people like you. We need your help, and promise to spend every dollar wisely. Unfortunately, good ideas alone are not enough to propel themselves. We need a large base of supporters and money to make this project effective. Please consider a ten dollar donation by clicking below.

http://amirahmadi.com/take_action/donate.htm

Can you give us a very specific example of what you would be using the money for? I'm not usually a fan of donating to large causes where I can't see an effect.

We need a larger e-mail list, a better website, a way to increase social media presence, and expand participation of the youth in the election process. For all this, we need staffers, designers, a webmaster, things like that. The campaign is the project. Basically we are using this money to promote this campaign, which is promoting peace and democracy in Iran. To do all this, we need all the aforementioned items.

Also we need to produce videos and audios that can be distrusted throughout the country, both physically and over social media. We need to buy time on satellite media and radio, which has a huge presence in Iran. We want to hire a channel, for a few hours per day, a channel that is beamed to Iran to take up a message to the Iranian people. That answer the question?

To win the campaign we need tools including a great website, active Facebook, and other social media. We need to produce lots of videos and photos from all our campaign events. As you know, I simply can not do this all on my own. I will need a small-paid staff to manage it, and will need to occasionally hire people with professional skills to help at our major campaign events, such as our recent event at NYU.

Additionally, we will be using the money to travel around to world to bring attention to our campaign's ideas. Traveling to California, London, Dubai, and around the world costs money including airfare and hotel. We have already campaigned in Northern California, Southern California, London, and Dubai, and my communications director and I flew economy on all the flights. No first/business class flights.

Finally, with your support, we would like to purchase advertising in major media outlets in Iran and the US. All of this costs money and can only be accomplished with your help.

I hope you will consider making a small donation. I am so glad to see that so many of you have already donated!

http://amirahmadi.com/take_action/donate.htm

What is your view on homosexuality?

I see that as a non-problem. I do not think anything is wrong with that, it is part of the human nature of a particular group. Homosexuality is NOT a disease, abnormality, or anything. Some people are born or choose to be homosexual or otherwise. That is completely acceptable, that is as normal as others who choose otherwise.

It is a matter of choice and nature. Under my administration, homosexuals will have the exact same rights and obligations that any other Iranian citizen will have

If you won would you pursue a nuclear weapon like the current regime is suspected of?

I do not think Iran needs to have a nuclear weapon. However, under the NPT Iran does have the right to pursue nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Iran has obligations under that NPT framework. Iran has exercise its rights within the obligations.

Another thought, I think that nuclear weapons in the future will be useless both as a deterrent and as a fighting weapon. The future is cyberspace technology, cyber warfare technology. This technology will develop to the extent that these bombs will be neutralized. The future is not nuclear, it is cyber.

Do you think the electoral system is fair? If not, what do you hope to achieve by running in a system rigged against you?

If you did win, what would you hope to accomplish in office?

What was your intitial reaction to the 1979 embassy takeover when it happened?

Thoughts on Israel?

Would you pursue nuclear power?

First, the electoral system in Iran is not fair because the Guardian Council vets candidates. Yet at the same time, the system is much better than not having any elections. Unfortunately in most countries in the region, there are no elections, or the elections are an outright farce. In Iran, elections exist and the majority of eligible citizens vote. But because the system controls the process through the Guardian Council, the election is unfair but better than none.

We need to get in and fight for fairness and we have to stay the course as long as it takes to change the process and hopefully get the Guardian Council out of the way in the Iranian election process. We don’t want to break the laws; we will follow them and act within the legal system. Even if we don’t like something in the Constitution, we won’t break the law. But where possible, we will legally pursue changes in the law.

I will try to answer your questions in the coming hours.

Will you try to change the electoral process if you were to get elected? I'm not sure how the lawmaking process works, but meh.

Yes actually. In the case of Iran the existing electoral process is not good. It makes the winner take all, and the loser lose all, similar to America. I believe in a proportional representation system, where by political groups are represented in their power block on the basis of their social weight. This is very much similar to the system in Germany, Italy, and other countries that through elections coalitions can be formed. In the case of Iran, if one candidate does not get 50%+, there is a runoff election. I would change the system to make a coalition government a reality. To do that, you need a proportional representation system.

I just wanted to give a public shout out to Redditor Alex Kim for his $10 donation. Every dollar counts. And I sincerely appreciate it!

What are your thoughts on the role of Islam in government?

Any religion in politics is allowed. You cannot take religion out of politics. Religion in government is a different matter. Religion in politics means that if you are a religious person you still have all the rights of a non-religious person to run for office and get into office. However, once you are elected, you should leave religion out of the government system and run the government on the basis of science and rationalism.

Again, I am running in the framework of the Islamic Republic. I will not have any power in the separation of the religion and the state. I think the time has come for religions leaders to evaluate the effectiveness of the theocracy, and if it has to be changed for the sake of the people. I would leave that issue to the religious leaders and the Iranian people.

What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?

My favorite akabar mashti bastani. Bastani means ice cream. Its a Persian ice cream, very delicous

What will you do about the persecution of Bahai's in Iran?

My policy is very simple: every Iranian citizen regardless of their religion, ethnicity, race, color, gender, has all the citizenship rights and obligations. All of them are equal in front of the law.

As for action, I will give them their citizen rights. I do not look at them as Bahai's, Jew, Muslim, or anything. I look at them as citizens, and as such, you will be equal in front of the law. As President I will make sure you get your rights. Nobody under my administration will be prosecuted for their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, political orientation, ideological standing, or any other characteristics.

Do you fear for your safety?

Not really. I have no reason to fear for my safety. I am running within the laws of the nation, I am a peaceful person, I do not intend to harm anyone. No one should have reason to harm me. Our movement is 100% non-violence. I despise violence against anyone for any reason anywhere. I mean well, for all

What is the most important thing that you think you can do as the president?

First, US and Iran relations. That conflict must be resolved for both nations, and I am in the best position to solve that issue.

Second, University students needs more attention in the sense that they need jobs. I want to create 6 million jobs during my first term in office.

I want to pay a visit to the White House in the first 100 days in office, and shake Obama's hand

How are you planning on creating 6 million jobs? That sounds like a rather high number.

Like I said, I will resolve the Iran-US conflict. That will open up the international community to Iran. This means, for example, Iran's has 5 million expatriates outside the country can be reconnected to the homeland for investment. This group has billions of dollars of capitol to invest. I will also invite foreign investment to create jobs.

I will also reallocate resources at home for more productive activities and job creation. I will support industries, new start ups for young Iranians, develop business plans, I will particularly assist small industries, as they are the most useful in creating jobs.

I will also help expand rural industries, ones that relate to agricultural. Therefore creating jobs in rural areas. I will have export promotion. I will also diversify Iran's oil export, and use oil funds more wisely.

The bottom line is this, invite investment from outside, reallocate domestic resources for productive activities, and promote small business and young people for start ups and expansion.

How serious are you about going into space?

I am very serious. The future is in space. If I am President, I will focus on space rather than nuclear. I will do everything in my power to use space for peaceful purposes. I think space technology is very important, and it will be very important in the future whether we like it or not. We must do everything in our power to make sure our that the technology is used for peaceful purposes.

I like the sound of that.

I don't know... at the same time it kind of sounds like he's just saying what we want to hear. Maybe I'm just being cynical.

I have nothing to hide, I am a very transparent person. I have been consistent on my platform for 30 years. One example is my advocacy for normalization of relationship with the US.

Dear Redditors thank very much for participating. This went extremely well (we were the first item on the Reddit home page)!. But now I should call it a night.

We will be back here on Tuesday February 12th @ 6pm Eastern Time I look forward to continuing this interesting crowdsourced conversation. I am very grateful to this tremendous outpouring of questions, comments, enthusiastic support, volunteering offers, and financial contributions.

We had over 3,000 comments and and over 21,000 up-votes! I truly appreciate this level of support and participation. Please continue to support this campaign in any way you can.

Please be sure to visit the campaign website, 'Like' us on Facebook to follow our updates from along the campaign trail, and donate to our campaign.

Our success depends on your support.

God Bless you, Iran, America, and the world ;-) Dr. Hooshang Amirahmadi

How much power does the President have Vs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Leader_of_Iran?

First, as per the Constitution, the President is the second in command of the country after the Supreme Leader.

Second, the President is entrusted with implementation of the Constitution.

Third, the President is the sole executive power controlling the countries income and expenses (the budget), and under the President the Cabinet of Ministers works and the provincial Governors.

The President, more importantly, is popularly elected. He is probably the most legitimate public figure in the country because his election is national, and he will by definition be elected with a huge vote (50%+), so he will need the vote of at least 24 million or so people. The president obviously has to work with the judiciary and the Parliament. All of the three branches are under the Supreme Leader, who is also the commander in chief of the armed forces. But, the Constitution limits the Supreme Leader as well. He is indirectly elected by the people, because he is elected/fired by an Assembly of Experts, an 86 member council, whose members are elected by the people every seven years.

Presidency in Iran is structured with two 4-year terms.

While the Supreme Leader sets the broader macro guidelines for the direction of the nation, it is the president that sets implementable policies for specific line item budgets. Indeed, the president runs the country on a daily basis. This gives the president tremendous power and if Iran were to have a president who is wise, knowledgable, and tactful, he could do a lot even though he may also be limited in terms of the power of the Supreme Leader.

what is your favorite genre of music?

I like Lou Armstrong. Of course, I also like Iranian classical music

All of the small donations are adding up. I want to shout out the following people for their $10-20 donations: Corey Dull, Babak Ghorbani, Landyn Uhersky, Dave Eaton, Tom Vigrass, Derek Elliot, Halcyon Woodward, Eric Opsahl, Seth Rich and others!

I sincerely appreciate your kind act. By doing so, you have invested in the future of Iran and I feel indebted to you.

[deleted]

The problem lies in trust. Once we can establish trust between the US and Iran then a solution to the nuclear enrichment issue is reachable

Hi Dr. Amirahmadi, thank you so much for doing this AMA. I'm curious to know how you view the treatment of Baha'is in Iran. Do you think they are a group deserving to be persecuted, or would things change under your presidency?

Thanks again!

I answered that further up, does that help?

As a random American, what can I do to strengthen American/Iranian relations?

I feel that demagogue on both sides are the only people who control the conversation.

I know for a fact that there are really nice and awesome people in Iran. There are great people in America too.

I'm sure some Iranian people probably have negative feelings towards America but I'd like to help neutralize that.

Anyway... Just an American saying that I want peace and for Iranians and Americans to be friends :)

I do greatly appreciate your sense of solidarity, and your vision for renewed friendship between the two great nations of the US and Iran. I spent 25+ years of my life consistently and almost full time on bringing these two countries together. I put together an organization called Iranian-American council. With this new development in my life as a candidate for Iran's presidency I am trying to advance that mission as well. One best way to assist us in US-Iran relations, is to assist our campaign, in whichever way you can.

Please stay in touch, send us e-mail, visist our campaign website, and also encourage friends, family, colleagues, classmates, whoever you have, to join our cause. You can do a lot on the website, there are options for you to be involved.

Most importantly, keep in touch with the campaign, and we will find a particular place for you to be most effective.

Contact us at info@amirahmadi.com

Thank you for your support.