Persian → English transcript

The point people are making with you is that Masih is leading the movement.

I had already done an interview with you for “Woman, Life, Freedom.”

About this very topic.

Back then, you had, in a way, distanced yourself and said, “My leader is your leader too.”

If I want you to be honest with me…

My dear.

Do you see yourself to the extent of wanting to be the leader of a segment of the opposition?

You know.

To be that, you know… And if you see yourself on that level, the people in Iran who are your social base,

and who might

take inspiration from you for their struggle, who are they?

My dear, first of all, you, well, you are doing your job with your own issues quite well.

I honestly did not say on “Woman, Life, Freedom” that my leader is your leader too.

I interviewed you, Masih Alinejad, our interview exists.

I asked you, “Do you see yourself as a leader?”

You said, “My leader is your leader too.”

All right, with your permission, let me explain this clearly for you.

And for the millions of Iranian women who are witnessing that Ali Khamenei

On Iranian television, against White Wednesday, our camera actually

protested and said that these people are despicable.

I told every single Iranian woman, the despicable one is Ali Khamenei himself.

He is not a leader, this is your leader.

Now, the fact that it offends some people, that no one else should be a leader…

and they pulled that out of the archive, and it has reached you journalists.

And we think I did not say that in “Woman, Life, Freedom.”

And I am proud of that.

I am not talking about an archive, Masih Alinejad.

I am talking about my own observation with you.

I am speaking based on my own efforts and my own platform.

that Ali Khamenei has not been my leader.

And such courage of women…

No, the issue is not Ali Khamenei.

Do you see yourself as the leader of part of the opposition or not?

Can you be in that position or not, Masih?

Do you make that claim or not?

Anyone who makes that claim right now

is wrong.

In fact, the ballot box decides the leader.

The leader is decided by a gathering that…

all the different currents and groups be there and choose me

what kind of leader can I be

when no election has been held

and in fact, neither…

that is why I am saying

when Western countries invite me

they all ask this question

whether you are ready to sit with all the groups

I really named them, look, in the White House

in the American administration they also asked

will you sit down with Mr. Pahlavi

will you sit down with Mr. — they named him

will you sit down with the Kurds

you have no problem with the women’s movement

they ask these things even of Nobel Prize winners

and then they would laugh at me if I said

no, I will not sit with anyone

I will only sit with myself

and please, only accept me and no one else

to definitely move past the Islamic Republic

leaders in the rest of the world

will want to negotiate

with each and every person who

is engaged in political and civil activity