Italian filmmaker Diego Vida: Iranian minorities live in sympathy with each other Q: Diego, I have read a lot about your love for Iran and Iranian culture. Could you tell us how and when you became familiar with Iran? And where does this love of Iran come from? When did you decide to live in Iran? Well honestly, the first time I was really scared to come to Iran because of the Anglo-Zionist propaganda. I remember the moment of landing at Imam Khomeini International Airport I was just thinking, “Oh my God, what’s going to happen to me? As I am a Christian-Catholic and a Westerner, what if the police officers dislike my crucifix necklace? What if they check the music on my iPod, or my cellular photos wearing a swim suit at sea? Maybe they’re going to arrest me! Certainly, none of these things happened to me. Instead all of the Iranian personnel were kindly towards me in the airport. So my first impression was really good; moreover, days later, I could clearly see the lies spread by the Anglo-Zionist propaganda, because the real image of Iran was far different than the Western television spin.  Some people who hear my words may say “Okay dude, if you were afraid of Iran why did you go there?” Then, I would say that’s probably correct. Anyway, the real reason I came to Iran in the first place was because my contract with an Asian company was about to finish, so I had two options: either going back home, or else keep working for an Iranian-Turkish company specializing in visual effects. That’s why I chose Iran.  I’m a European-Italian-Sicilian citizen, and in this last regard, I have noticed that the culture of Sicily is similar to Iranian culture. We are religious, we care about the family, we dislike divorce and we respect our women and close family. In addition, our food is like Iranian food: rice, kebab, kebab tabei, kuku sibzamini, kufteh, barbari bread, bastani – ice cream, and fish. Also our streets look like Iranian streets, too. Actually, every time I walk in Tehran it feels like walking around in my city, Catania, so I feel at home. Iranian people are nice, polite and places are clean; there aren’t any illegal immigrants that bother Iranian citizens.  In the west it’s different. We have many dangerous illegal immigrants citizens: killing, raping, beating, robbing, drug running and being naked in the streets. And when our citizens defend themselves and their families against one of these illegal immigrant criminals, our police officers arrest the European citizens using the excuses of racism! All of this is because the corrupt European governments protect these illegal immigrant criminals, so they are untouchables who receive better protection than the endangered Panda species. So here in Iran, I feel myself to be safer than in Europe, which now is the United States of Europe, a clone of the even worse United States of America.