the_windcatcher

Thanks for doing this IAMA Dr. Amirahmadi. I have three questions:

1) You ran for president of Iran in 2005 and your candidacy was rejected by the Gaurdian Council due to your American citizenship. What has changed since then that makes you think they will not reject you this time? Did you denounce your American citizenship, or did the Iranian regime (with which you have an oddly close relationship) give you some sort of green light this time?

2) If there is no change since the last time you ran, meaning that your campaign is in vain, what do you plan to do with all the donation money after they reject you?

3) You speak of your goals and ideals, and say things like: "In my administration there will be no restriction on any type of media." This seems far too audacious given the fact that in Iran it is the Supreme Leader, Khamenei, who calls the shots with regards to major policy matters not the president. As an well-known scholar on Iran it seems hard to believe that you would be oblivious to this fact. On what basis are you then making these pledges?

Edit: grammar, Dr. Amirahmadi

Thank you Dr. Amirahmadi for your answers, but I have to say I am hardly impressed. The 25m+ votes that you speak of is extremely optimistic. A simple back of the envelope calculation can show you that. Even if you get that number, did you forget that President Mohammad Khatami who was a veteran of Iranian politics, won in 2001 by a huge landslide (securing 77% of the vote), and still had no power in the shadow of Khamenei?

Edit: grammar, Dr. Amirahmadi

Thanks, fixed it.