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Doomscroll Comments => Against War => Topic started by: K-Dog on Apr 02, 2026, 06:24 PM
- EXCLUSIVE: Isfahan Governor Addresses War, Housing Destruction, Protests, and US Negotiations Amid Ongoing Conflict
Reporter: Demetri Lceris | Outlet: Reason to Resist
Date of Recording: March 24, 2026 | Location: Isfahan, Iran
1. INTRODUCTION & UNPLANNED GOVERNOR MEETING
Reporter Demetri Lceris reports from Isfahan, Iran on March 24, 2026. He is riding a bicycle handed to him by the Governor of Isfahan Province, who spent approximately one hour answering questions. The governor's decision to meet was impromptu and unplanned. He walked in public without any security, interacting warmly with shopkeepers and citizens.
Key Facts:
- Location: Isfahan, described as a "museum without a roof" and a city of history, culture, and handicrafts
- Governor's Demeanor: Warm, respectful, without security; interactions with public were positive
- Reporter's Note: The video is unedited and uncurated
2. ISFAHAN'S HISTORICAL & CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
The governor provided extensive detail about Isfahan's heritage.
Historical Background
- Isfahan's history dates back thousands of years
- It served as Iran's capital in three different periods over a long span of history
- The city was a key player on the Silk Road
- It carries the "footsteps of all different periods in history"
- The city is lucky that many historical footsteps have not vanished
UNESCO and International Recognition
- Isfahan province contains underground cities dating back thousands of years (e.g., Nooshabad underground city)
- The city has a clay palace (Guran AR/palace) which is the biggest clay palace in the world where life is still ongoing
- Isfahan is a member of 17 international organizations, including the Metropolis of Muslim countries and ICC
- The city was the secretary for two years for one of these organizations
- Over 200 types of handicraft are registered with UNESCO — a unique number in terms of variety within one province
- The city itself is registered as a creative city in the field of handicraft worldwide
Handicrafts and Artisans
- Some handicrafts are unique in the world with UNESCO approval and signature
- Artworks use silver and gold; some take 6 months to one year to complete
- One artisan (Ahmed Satv) represents seven generations of craft, learning from childhood at age 5 or 6
- Another artisan (Leila) learned for two years (Iranian years 1383–1385) from a master and has worked for 15 years; she learned from her aunt
- One art form (using camel bone and special metals) dates back 5,300 years
- Traditional nomadic carpets were woven by imagination without patterns — mistakes are natural and part of the style
- A carpet seller named Ali (20 years experience, self-taught in English) notes that a single large carpet can take 1.5 years for one person to weave
3. IMPACT OF WAR ON CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMY
Tourism Decline
- The square used to be "compacted with people" and visitors could barely walk
- Currently, there are fewer people due to the war
- One artisan stated that as soon as the war started, tourism declined
- The governor expressed sadness that handicrafts are not selling as they previously did, stating, "I wanted here to be full of people and customers"
Housing Destruction from Airstrikes
- The governor confirms receiving complaints from people whose houses have been destroyed
- A single strike destroyed approximately 2,700 to 2,800 housing units
- The houses were described as "very expensive"
- The residents were "about the average" income level
Government Response to Housing Destruction
- Affected residents were provided temporary housing in hotels
- The governor states that residents "did not complain"
- The municipality is responsible for minor impacts (broken windows, glass)
- For heavier impacts (lost structure), the municipality will provide temporary living for 1–2 years while renewal occurs
- For completely destroyed houses, a government NGO called "Maskan" (housing organization) will carry out reconstruction
- Residents who wish to rebuild themselves can submit their expenses for reimbursement
- The first two levels of damage are paid by the municipality; the third (complete destruction) is paid by the housing organization, provincial government, or central government
4. GOVERNOR'S RESPONSE TO PROTESTS AND DOMESTIC DISSENT
Context of Protests
- The reporter notes that Western narratives about protests in Iran (January) differ from the government's perspective
- The governor acknowledges that for 47 years since the Islamic Revolution, imperialism has increased its animosity against Iran in different shapes: imposed war (Iran-Iraq war), the "12-day war," the ongoing war, and "riots"
Nature of Protests in Isfahan
- The governor states that people protest "every day" about rightful issues: welfare, insurance, economy
- Smaller protests come to his office; larger gatherings occur
- This is described as "quite normal and natural"
- However, the level of violence in recent protests had "a plot behind it and a plan"
- The violence was "very professional" and "not in the blood of our people"
Response to a Young Woman's Criticism
- The reporter recounts speaking to a young woman who was reluctant to be on camera, fearing government trickery
- She stated she does not like the government because it imposes religion upon her
- She noted that the lack of mandatory hijab is a recent change that "we had to push for"
- She feels unrepresented and wants the government to stop choosing what is best for her
- She identifies as culturally Muslim ("kind of") but does not practice; she is not an atheist
- She does not support an attack on her own country
Governor's Response to the Young Woman
- The governor denies imposing anything: "We will not impose anything on you. Not at all."
- He attributes some youth discontent to foreign media channels (TV, social media) creating propaganda to "destroy that country, defy that country"
- He states that young people watching these channels have their mindsets "struggled" and "dealing with these thoughts"
- He acknowledges a generation gap exists in all countries
- He contrasts Iran's 47 years of sanctions without serious structural collapse against countries that faced destruction after short sanctions
- He notes Iran has 22,000 tourist and historical attractions that should be full of tourists, asking, "Who has made this atmosphere that they are not full today?"
5. GOVERNOR'S POSITION ON NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE US
- The governor states Iran has experience negotiating with the US
- He claims that assassinations were carried out "in the middle of negotiation"
- He states that even during the ongoing war, the US did the same
- He refers to a "messenger carrying a message" (apparently referencing an assassination) during negotiations
- His conclusion: "Our people do not trust" negotiation with the US
- He states that the US "does not believe in negotiation at all"
6. UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS & GOVERNOR'S STRUGGLE TO RESPOND
The reporter pressed the governor with direct, uncomfortable questions. The transcript shows the governor becoming increasingly defensive and struggling to provide coherent answers.
Key Exchange:
- The reporter confronted the governor with an account from a young woman who said she does not like the government because it imposes religion upon her
- The governor initially denied any imposition: "We will not impose anything on you. Not at all."
- When pressed further on the gap between government claims and citizen experiences, the governor's responses became fragmented and evasive
- The transcript contains the governor saying "Foreign speech" multiple times — apparently dismissing critical questions as external propaganda
- At one point, after an explosion-like sound is heard, the governor responds with "Foreign speech" followed by a dismissive "Cool."
- The interview ends with the governor uttering fragmented, incomplete phrases: "animal," "Come again," and other disjointed words
Assessment: The transcript does not show technical recording issues. Rather, it captures the governor's visible difficulty in answering legitimate questions about domestic dissent, religious imposition, and government accountability. His responses become shorter, more defensive, and ultimately fragment as the questioning intensifies.
KEY DATA SUMMARY
- Date of Recording: March 24, 2026
- Location: Isfahan, Iran (historical square and handicraft market)
- Key Figure Interviewed: Governor of Isfahan Province (name not provided in transcript)
- Duration of Governor's Interaction: Approximately 1 hour
- Housing Units Destroyed in Single Strike (reported by governor): 2,700–2,800
- Tourist Attractions in Iran (cited by governor): 22,000
- Years of Sanctions on Iran (cited by governor): 47 years
- UNESCO-Registered Handicraft Types in Isfahan Province: Over 200
- Generations of Artisans Documented: Up to 7 generations (Ahmed Satv's family)
- Art Form Age Cited: 5,300 years (camel bone and metal inlay work)
- Carpet Weaving Time Cited: 1.5 years for one person to weave one large carpet
- Governor's Demeanor Under Questioning: Defensive, evasive, increasingly fragmented; dismissed criticism as "foreign speech"
End of Extraction