Why did you establish Omid for Iran?

I want future generations of Americans and Iranians to have a secure, peaceful and prosperous future. I feel that it is the duty of my generation to make sure that future generations enjoy the blessings and opportunities that my family, friends, and teachers in Iran and the United States made possible for me. No matter what the political differences between Iran and the United States, all of us, especially Iranian-Americans, have a duty to lay down the foundations for a future based on peace and friendship.”

What are your greatest concerns for the future?

“I look at the human toll of the wars that have plagued the Middle East since World War I, and I have no doubt that the first and foremost duty of men and women of good will is to unite our hearts, minds and spirits to protect future generations from the scourge of war. In a nuclear age, we cannot afford to leave the destiny of millions in the hands of extremists who prey on fear and ignorance. Look at the damage caused by the war in Iraq—it is ethical, political, legal, economic, cultural, religious, and environmental. The great challenge facing us is to find creative and peaceful ways of settling disputes than relying on violence and aggression. With so many forces seeking to plunge the United States and Iran into a catastrophic war, we cannot afford to remain silent or indifferent about the fate of future generations.”

What do you mean?

Look at the Arab-Israeli conflict. The 1967 war took place more than four decades ago. The military conflict took seven days. Forty years later, Arabs and Israeli are still struggling to find a political solution. Consider all the time, energy, and resources that have gone to waste, all the dreams and opportunities squandered. Consider the economic, emotional and personal toll. Or better yet, look at the legacy of Saddam. Is this the future we want for Iran and America’s children? For Israel and Palestine’s children? For Iraq and Afghanistan’s children? We can do better.

But what are the choices?

The choices are many. First and foremost, we have the power to imagine a different kind of future for all our children—a future marked by peace and friendship. Secondly, we have the power to act on our imagination, to give voice to our dreams, build trust in each other, and demonstrate that we have faith in the future. Thirdly, we have the power to identify and commit to the principles that unite us. Fourth, we can focus, organize and mobilize our energy, talents and resources around common goals. And fifth, we can build the future and become the community we seek by celebrating what we, as Iranians and Americans, can and do offer each other every day: hope, respect, trust, joy and genius, a helping hand and an open heart.

What is the source of your optimism?

Look beyond the politics. Look at Iranians and Americans living together all over the United States. Look at our universities, our corporations, look at our hospitals, look at our museums, look at our foundations, look at our sports fields. Look at our churches, mosques and synagogues. Wherever you look you will find Iranians and Americans from all backgrounds, races, classes, and cultures living, working, dreaming, eating, loving, and laughing together. One does not need a powerful imagination to understand the power and potential of such a force. Together, Iranians and Americans have, can, and will move mountains.

But you cannot deny politics and ideology?

Our humanity is much deeper than our politics and ideology.

Despite the threats, Iranians were the first to demonstrate their solidarity with the American people after 9/11. Let’s not forget the candlelight vigils—they stood by us, not al-Qaeda, in our moment of tragedy. The same is true for Americans. If not for America, nothing would have dislodged the Soviets from Iran after the Second World War.

For thirty years we have viewed Iran and the Iranian people through the prism of the hostage crisis of 1979. And people in Iran have viewed the United States through the prism of the coup of 1953. But there’s a lot more to the Iranian and American people than political and ideological stereotypes generated by two historical incidents. It’s silly to think of Iranians as terrorist and hostage takers, just as it is silly to think of Americans as spies and imperialists. We have to move beyond destructive labels and stereotypes.

Why should we trust each other? What is there to build on?

Let’s not look at everything in a dark light. There’s a lot to build on.

Iranians and Americans are not strangers. Our countries had close ties for most of the twentieth century. In that period, Iran was stable, and that stability created tremendous opportunities for millions of Iranians. We had progress in health care, education, economic development, industry. When you have jobs, housing, health care and education, you develop a solid, independent and educated middle class with a stake in building a vibrant future.

Beyond economic growth, let’s not forget that that Iran’s ties with the United States did insure stability and security. Look at what happened after the break in US-Iranian relations–the hostage crisis of 1979. Saddam invaded Iran, and the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Look at the chaos and insecurity—the cost to Iran and the United States, as well as the region, of the break in US-Iranian relations. If we repair this relationship, the benefits can be tremendous.

What will it take?

Vision. In 1979, there were more Iranian students in the United States than any other nation—more than China. Then Iran closed up, and China opened up. Look at the difference thirty years can make. Besides, we have millions of highly educated Iranians—a global force—so we can catch up on these lost years very quickly.

What has been lacking?

Perspective. Our leaders tend to look at the world through the prism of crisis. It is easy to blow up and exploit fear. Fear, after all, sells. Threats get attention. Violence gets coverage. The other problem is ideology—a fixed view of the world that does not change with time or adjust to reality. If your primary commitment is to an ideology, you don’t learn to look and engage the world through your own eyes and experiences. You fear change and you fear compromise, and so you corner yourself and harm everyone else for not sharing your beliefs. People call it fundamentalism. I think it’s immaturity. There’s the world as we all wish it to be—the utopia of ideologues and fanatics– and then there’s the world as it really is. It’s great to dream, but let’s keep our feet firmly on the ground.

What do we need?

Better leaders. What we have not had is leaders who can articulate our hopes, leaders who are clear about their commitments and principles, leaders who have a vision of where they can take their people, the genius to articulate their vision and the conviction to act on their vision. But I have no doubt that such leaders are everywhere—present in each and every one of us. Rather than playing on our fears to profit from our anxieties, such leaders speak to our humanity and draw on our strength. They reflect what is best in their people, and draw out what is best in their enemies. That takes courage, confidence and creativity. Look at Martin Luther King. Look at Nelson Mandela. Look at Churchill. Or for that matter, Obama. Faced with insurmountable odds, they have all spoken to what is noblest in all of us, and in so doing, expanded our sense of who we are and how we relate to each other and the world.

So what is holding the United States and Iran back?

Certainly not the Iranian or American people. We know where we want to go, we know how to get there and nothing and no one can stop us from enriching each other’s future.

Ok, but what bothers you?

What bothers me is seeing so many lives, so much time, energy and resources begin squandered. And for what? Cheap and empty slogans. What bothers me is the state of Iran’s politics, economy and culture. Look at the Iranian economy. What are we producing? What is happening to our resources, our factories, and more importantly, our ethics and our talent, our basic trust in each other? Look at our foreign policy? Where are we going? Is threatening nations with destruction, provoking enmity and exposing Ian to another decade of war logical? Whose interest do sanctions and war serve? The Iranian people’s? Look at the state of our culture and education? At a time when Asia is rising, how can Iran be falling behind? At a time when India and Turkey, and even the small Gulf states are building world class universities and economies, what are we offering our students and scholars? Look at what is happening to our religions and ethics. How can we, as Iranians, accept lies about rape, torture and murder as expressions of our faith and morality? Look at our judges and soldiers. They are being forced to attack the very people and religion they have sworn to defend. Given all the blessings, all the gifts, talent and resources we have, given our heritage and our ancestors, how can anyone who derives pride from Iran’s past or who believes in the Iranian people’s future not be bothered.

I reject all this, I find it unacceptable.

So what should we do?

We cannot accept the status quo. It’s time for real, substantive change. The Iranian people count. They have inalienable rights. Their life, liberty, and property counts. Their dreams and aspirations count. Their work counts. Their trust counts. Their sacrifice counts and so does their vote. It’s a question of basic respect. And yet so many people, especially leaders in the United States and Iran, acts as if the Iranian people are dust and dirt. Outside Iran, the general idea is let’s engage Iran’s leaders on the nuclear issue, if we fail, well, we will impose crippling sanctions and justify military strikes. Oh really, another Iraq? And what will happen to the Iranian people? And to our credibility—the claim that the Iranian people’s life and liberty matters to us? You will starve and stone them to death in the name of peace and security for whom? Inside Iran, the calculus is just as disastrous. We’ll use Iran’s nuclear program to threaten Israel and the United States, and, if they attack us, we’ll save ourselves by blaming the foreigners for our economic and political failures. As for sanctions, they will create scarcity and prices will go up. Who cares if the thieves who control Iran’s economy make a killing while the Iranian people suffer.

We have to work towards establishing accountable, transparent government that reflects the values and responds to the needs of the Iranian people.

What are your political credentials?

Look, I’m not a politician. I’m a businessman and philanthropist. My platform is simple: Let’s secure a better future for the Iranian people. How? Let’s promote of civil society and economic security through political reform and social justice. I do care about the future of Iran and America, I have built a few companies and organizations, and I do know a thing or two about making and keeping a promise.

What’s critical to building this better future?

Accountability.

Let me give an example:

Through my foundation, we have established a clinic in Utah in honor of my grandmother. It’s called the Maliheh Clinic. Our promise is to provide free health care for the uninsured. We serve 10,000 patient visits a year. If your child is sick, and you come to our clinic, our job is to help you recover your health. If we have the right people, policies and practices to support our mission, our work can make a difference in the lives of hundreds of families every year. They, in turn, can go to school, work, and so on, so we become part of a virtuous circle in our little corner of the world.

Now imagine coming to a different clinic, one where our doctors and nurses have forged their degrees, auction medical equipment in the black market, don’t order the right drugs, and don’t keep proper records. We can pretend everything is fine or that mistakes are exceptional, but obviously, there’s a management problem. And, sooner or later, management problems, whether it is people, policies or procedures, manifest themselves as mission failure.

Now, the guardians of the clinic can ignore evidence of malpractice. But at what cost and to whom? The poor children whose health they have sworn to guard. And the parents can sit silently, pretend everything is fine and watch their children’s health deteriorate further. Alternatively, they can hold the clinic accountable. What does that mean? It means putting a value on the life of your child, and on the life of all children who may end up in a similar situation.

In my eyes, holding one’s self and others accountable is not a way to harm or blame others for failure. It is a measure of confidence: a reflection that one holds one’s self and others to a higher standard of performance—that one does not accept negligence, theft and other forms of harmful conduct as a medical, cultural or religious norm. Does that threaten a few bad apples? Sure.

But, there’s a difference between a clinic and a government, no?

Yes and no. The bottom line is acting in the best interest of people.

I have established my clinic in the name of my grandmother. It is a measure of my respect for her life and values. Basic, right? Now, do you think I would sit back and permit patients to die in her name because of negligence? No, absolutely not. That would be a betrayal of trust—a violation of her name, my name and my staff’s name. Once you make a promise, you stand by your promise. If you respect yourself, you hold others to the same standard of respect. And that means, even if your patient is a poor orphan, you give that child the highest standards of care and the very best chance at life.

But of course, you are right. There is a huge difference. My clinic reflects the price of a bond—it is a measure of my desire to honor my grandmother’s name. It is a measure of my respect for her and our patients. Iran’s rulers claim to act in the name of a trust held in the name of the Iranian people and their Prophets. How they run their operations has a direct impact on the lives of millions of Iranians and muslims. And so I think it is their duty to hold themselves accountable to the highest—not the lowest–standards of performance. And the measure of that performance is the condition of the Iranian people.

What’s your point?

The Iranian people in the United States, indeed all over the world, have shown that they can excel. They can reach the very top of every profession, and not only that, no matter what their field, business, art, science, or technology, they can explore and expand the frontiers of knowledge. Why is it, then, that Iranians are successful in some settings and not others? To me, the crucial difference is governance: does government permit people to flourish by protecting their rights to life, liberty and property? Does it pursue economic policies that create opportunity and jobs? Does it promote education and inquiry? Does it encourage exchange and investment?

Good governance is essential for the Iranian people to enjoy a better and brighter future.

What I want, and what I expect, is good governance. Accountable, competent and transparent government that reflects the dignity, defends the values, protects the life and invests in the future of the Iranian people. Serve the people, work for their interest, not your own pockets and beliefs. It’s public service.

You can’t have good governance when you have a Supreme Leader who has elevated himself above the people. And you can’t have good governance when you have a president who taunts the people and clergy by claiming to do the Mahdi’s bidding. It’s a bit like Muqtada Sadr, in Iraq, calling his hooligans the Mahdi’s army. They would steal, cheat, rape and murder Iraqis, all in the name of the Mahdi. That’s ridiculous. Look at Iran’s revolutionary guards. Instead of protecting the Iranian people, they are monopolizing the Iranian state and economy, choking the private sector and attacking civil society, all in the name of defending the Iranian people. That’s unacceptable.

So do you want regime change?

I don’t care about who rules Iran. I do care about how they rule Iran. Are their policies harmful or beneficial? Are they creating a better future for the Iranian people? Are they protecting civil and human rights? Are they advancing policies that protect the Iranian people’s health, environment and education? Are they pursuing sound economic and fiscal policies? Are they insuring free, open and fast communication by connecting Iran to the internet, or are they pulling the plug, and mortgaging the Iranian people’s resources to subsidize bankrupt social, economic and foreign policies.

So, yes, if by regime change, you mean do I want accountability, transparency and good governance, absolutely. If by regime change, you mean do I want rule by the consent of the people, yes, I do want regime change. If by regime change, you mean do I reject rule by force of arms, rigging of elections and usurpation of religion by one man, Iran’s supreme leader, yes, I do want regime change.

And no, if by regime change you mean that I want the United States to attack, invade and occupy Iran, regardless of the cost to the Iranian people and military, no I don’t want regime change.

Besides, change that is meaningful and enduring has to come from our hearts and our commitments. It can’t be imposed by force.

Why do you want change?

For the same reason millions of Iranians and Americans want change. I believe we can have a better future, an infinitely better and brighter future.

Imagine the thousands of students who would travel between Iran and America, imagine the exchanges in the realm of art, science, commerce, religion, philosophy, and poetry, imagine the investments in industry, oil and agriculture, imagine a shift in politics away from violence and death, imagine Islam, Christianity and Judaism as what they have always been, paths of mercy and a calling to peace, ways of compassion and visions of unity.

But practically speaking?

Join us, help us, inspire us, lead us.

What’s the key to success?

Keeping your promises—respecting yourself by honoring others.