Christian Arno, publisher of 'Iran, le mensonge' referred to the book's boycott in France and said, "Iran is a serious opposition to Israel and it seems natural that in a country like France which is under the domination of the Zionists, there is no freedom in practice when referring to Iran."

IBNA (Paris): First, Christian (Hagar) Arno is a French catholic who converted to Islam in January 2009. She says, "For about ten years my heart has been exposed to shining of Sufism which is very close to Islam. When the last Gaza war took place, I had a midnight dream when God spoke to me, "You should be a Muslim". Since I was in touch with a number of people at the mosques of Paris, I went there and talked about my dream with one of mosque leaders and declared that I wanted to become Muslim, so he did the preliminary levels of conversion and I have become a Muslim since then and have chosen the name Hagar for myself."

Second, Arno is a French publisher who has worked in the field of publication for more than 10 years and has started he job with publishing history and photography collections. "Apart from history, photography and cooking I also have books on other subjects", she says, "As for other books, one is 'Iran, le mensonge' which is under boycott by booksellers as they refuse to exhibit it and only a few opposing booksellers would do. Therefore, I have lost a large stock on this, but it doesn't matter as I spiritually feel committed to it and want to keep on publishing on Iran…"

Third, on the occasion of the anniversary of the demise of Imam Khomeini, Arno traveled to Iran to participate in a related international conference held in Tehran when she also had a visit to Dr Ahmadi Nezhad in his presidency office. Arno says, "I gave the book 'Iran, le mensonge' as a gift to him. Later on when I was back in Paris, I heard that he has shown the book in one of his TV sessions and stated that the book is published by a French woman newly converted to Islam about and pro Iran".

IBNA reporter based in Paris has made an interview with Arno about her presence in Iran, publications, freedm of speech and democracy in France as follows: 

How did you picture Iran before your travel to this country and how was it afterwards? 
This travel did not change anything for me as it was God who familiarized me with Iran, especially because of its fighting against evil in the world. 

how did you spend your time in Iran? 
It was fine, although I couldn't catch up with appointments arranged by a member of Iran's embassy in Paris due to lack of time. Yet I could go to president's office together with an English man who was also another conference guest. I gave the book to the president as a gift and said that I have converted to Islam since January 2009 and I agree with Iranians. I wished I could talk about my feelings with him but since my words had to be rendered into Persian, I felt translation could not convey the load of meaning and feeling of my words. 

You were in Tehran during the anniversary of the demise of Imam Khomeini. How did you spend your time? What did you find out? 
Iranian journalists asked about my opinions on the ideology of Imam Khomeini and I answered that I think he has had a simple life and been kind to the poor. In my opinion, Imam Khomeini was in direct contact with God and practiced as he was commanded by God. All in all, the travel was wonderful and so was the public participation in the anniversary of their deceased leader which made something above 2 millions. I believe it made a fine spiritual atmosphere. 

Why did you cooperate with Gilles Lanneau, author of "Iran, le mensonge"? 
I did not know Gilles Lanneau in person. I got in touch with him through Christian Giaume who has converted to Islamfor thirty years and is in touch with Iranian cultural centers. He knew that I am interested in working on Iran and so did she introduce Gilles Lanneau to me and said he has written a book on Iran that you can publish if you like to. Then she put me through Iran Culture House and found them interested in the publication of the book. Therefore I read the book and signed a contract with Lanneau which was followed by the book's publication in the next month. 

What characteristic of the book encouraged you to its publish? 
Look, Lanneau had traveled to Iran for many times and had participated in conferences and this made him knoe the subject much better than me. My approach to Iran is rather spiritual and mental, while he knows Iran's internal issues much better and can analyze things well as he is neither religious, nor scholarly nor Muslim. It is really interesting that he has found out everything only through presence in Iran and has realized how the real life in Ira is in contrast with the picture presented by French media. This was great. I think that he is a pacifist who believes in what he says about Iran and its truth. 

You mentioned that you faced problems for the book's distribution and booksellers refuse to present it. 
Yes, the booksellers are ordered not to present all the books. Although I have my own distributors and a number of other books that are banned, too. Of course, my distributor knows some booksellers who would present these books and are not leftist. Anyway this limited distribution can make a little income, however life and publication is cannot do well this way. 

You mean only non-leftist booksellers or as you say, radical rightists? 
Yes, only these. I cannot present the book in other francophone countries like Belgium as I do not know any distributor there. Finding distributors abroad is a bit difficult and I cannot do this by my own. But at the moment I have to think about it because of my current situation. 

There is a CD attachment to the book including documentaries on Iran… 
Yes, the CD includes photos about some events that took place within Iran and was published to Ms Giume's suggestion and under supervision of Iran Culture House in order to provide a better documented material for the readers. 

How did you find Iranians? 
It is difficult to know a nation within one week trip with a preplanned schedule. Because I participated in the international conference where most participants were foreigners and visit the city only once together with my daughter's friend. The people seemed nice maybe because I find myself spiritually close to this country and cannot say anything against it. However, I feel that people in some parts of Tehran and some large cities are quite westernized and so they do not agree with what Ahmadinezhad says and this was agitating to me, while in most villages and towns people agree with him. However, Iranian youth follow the world's events and are well-informed. I think what is problematic, even for the government, is the westernization. For years it has been tried to westernize the lives of all people and therefore, countries which attempt to reduce global effects are in serious problem. But is important is that at the moment I would like to work more on Iran, especially spiritual material that can attract the youth which are in more serious danger. 

Do you mean French youth? 
I mean all the youth and I believe this is more difficult in France than in Iran. 

Why? 
Because France is more Americanized than other countries. Although I find it silly that the French government is serving the Americans. 

The US or Israel? 
Both. It is quite clear. But people in France are not aware of this because the media censor the truth. 

What truth? 
The fact that the government is at the service of Israel and the US. 

But as a foreigner I can understand this. The very fact that France TV hosts are all Jews is enough. 
Not only the hosts, but they are also present in the cinema, commerce, everywhere, mainly because Sarkozy is a Jew himself. Of course, Dominique Strauss-Kahn is even worse than Sarkozy. 

You know that we have a surveillance section on publications. Is there such a thing in France? 
Yes, there is a surveillance unit is France. In the past, there was a general instruction service at media section which had everything under control and I knew its system very well. There was also a book service which read all the books and banned books with dangerous content from publication or distribution. Even if we do not apparently have such a thing is France, still the prohibition method is kept on and some works are even blocked. In fact, there is no freedom of speech in France and everything is under control. We are under dictatorship in France. I am sorry but there is no democracy here and I feel that in Iran freedom is more than in France. 

Is it the consequence of Sarkozy's pesdency? 
It severed with him and if Strauss-Kahn can replace him things would get worse. This is a gradual process which has started since the last few rounds and is getting to the height of dictatorship. 

Considering your relative knowledge of Iran, do you think there is any democracy in Iran? 
My knowledge of Iran is not enough and I cannot opine. But I feel that Iran seems very closed at the first glance whereas it is not. While in France its quite the opposite. France seems to be quite open and full of freedom, whereas we are very limited here. In France, freedom is fake and superficial and all people live under bank loans! The rule is that there is no religion anymore, nor any nationalism or any belief and we should just enjoy life. Therefore people are encouraged to go on vacation and enjoy their lives whereas there is no income. I believe that the youth's reaction to the singers or some matches are fetishist, its like idolatry. Such praise seems logical in case of a figure like Imam Khomeini who is inspired by God, but worshipping a singer or athlete is hollow. Anyway it is said that France is the land of democracy whereas it is dominated by dictatorship, and in the contrary, it is said that Iran is dominated by dictatorship whereas in fact there is more freedom there. 

You mean you can publish the book but you have limitations for sale? 
First of all the book on Iran is small and the subject so limited. On the other hand, I am a little publisher and do not face severe reactions. Meanwhile the book does not say anything against the French government or Israel. If a publisher deals with such issues, they will certainly be protested and would face court trial. This shows that we are actually under control. Do not forget that Iran is a serious opposition to Israel and it seems natural that in a country like France which is under the domination of the Zionists, there is no freedom in practice when referring to Iran. 

And the last word? 
As I said I want to work on Iran. So I have made connections with Muslim publishers in France and at the moment I am reading a novel by an adolescent newly converted to Islam and now lives in the suburbs of Paris and describes the western system based on his personal experiences, and he writes well. So I am going to publish this work soon and I hope to also publish it in Persian. I also hope that I can have a second visit to Iran and make a deeper understanding of it.

Id : 80236