democracy ... is not something that occurs overnight. It is not a gift delivered on a golden tray. Democracy is a long process of fighting, challenging accepted ideas, and perpetually striving for freedom. Like a seed that has to be watered every day to become a flower, democracy needs constant attention and care.

Iran, the Iranian government, has mentioned several times that it wouldn't attack Israel.

Akbar Ganji was in prison for six years, and that was it...for six years, and it was finished. Of course the Iranian government could make up some stories and accuse him of some other things, but the international support didn't let the government do that.

My aim is to show that those governments that violate the rights of people by invoking the name of Islam have been misusing Islam.

People are fundamentally good. But conditions deteriorate them.

Those who don't understand any language other than the language of force and violence don't respect human dignity. They seek violence because they will be irrelevant without it. We should not go their way.

I am the voice of the people in Iran whose voices are silent and whose demands cannot be heard by the rest of the world.