About thirty people attended what was touted as an international seminar in Tehran on a prominent Medieval Iranian scholar, leading the event organizer to lose his temper and threaten to call security on an inquisitive television reporter last week (video and translation at the end of this article).
None of the international guests responded to the invitation to attend the 2nd International Seminar on Khajeh Nassireddine Tousi, organizer Dr. Seyed Amireddine Sadrnejad admitted in a television news report. Sadrnejad bemoaned the fact that Iranian officials did not turn up either. 'Many of the honorable officials of our country were invited, but just a day before the ceremony, they called and said they were on vacation,' he said.
The seminar was held at Tehran's Khajeh Nassireddine Tousi University on Wednesday, February 24, which coincides with the birthday of the 13th-Century polymath and Engineers' Day in Iran . Tousi, the author of over 100 scientific and philosophical works, made considerable contributions to astronomy, mathematics, biology, and physics. A 60-km lunar crater and a planet are named after him.
But the celebrated figure, and the beleaguered Dr. Sadrnejad, appear to have fallen victim to the Islamic Republic's waning attractiveness for international -- and local -- scholars. The Islamic Republic News Agency did not report on the embarrassing turnout and concentrated on Sadrnejad's praise for official policies to educate the international community.
The news crew from '20:30', an evening show on state television, was met with an increasingly ill-tempered Sadrnejad when the reporter mentioned there were 30 to 40 people in the auditorium. 'You've pulled me over here to tell me what? I've got a thousand things to do and I've invited 1,200 guests,' the event's organizer said. 'You want to play ridiculous games. Listen to me. You're not qualified. You know why? This is Iran. Come at noon and the place will be packed,' he added, referring to the Iranian stereotype of showing up late.
The reporter's reminder that it was already 10:30 AM did not calm the situation. 'I'm going to call security to take you into custody,' Sadrnejad said, as he led the journalist away.
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Video and translation
Anchorwoman:
Today, our reporter was invited to the commemoration of Khajeh Nassereddine Tousi, but when he arrived, he was confronted with many empty seats. This scene was neither worthy of our country's prominent scientist, nor did it justify the costs to organize the ceremony. When he asked the organizer for the reason, this was the response...
Amireddine Sadrnejad:
Many of the honorable officials of our country were invited, but just a day before the ceremony, they called and said they were on vacation or whatever... They all... kind of changed our program. This is not how it is. Organizing an event is not easy. The event was international. Last year, we had many foreign guests. We had invited many this year too. They didn't tell us they weren't coming, otherwise we would have taken the 'international' off. The basis and program are international. Last year, I gave many interviews. Many young people came from the United States and they were very interested. They asked questions. We were happy to be working internationally and responded to them in English, to tell them what their problems were and how to resolve them.
Reporter:
Dr. Sadrnejad, well that's one thing. You don't fill a whole auditorium with officials--
Amireddine Sadrnejad:
You--
Reporter:
I'm looking and I counted thirty or forty people. Look, in Khajeh Nassir University on Engineers' Day--
Amireddine Sadrnejad:
You shouldn't be doing this and secondly, you've pulled me over here to tell me what?
Reporter:
Just asking?
Amireddine Sadrnejad:
I've got a thousand things to do and I've invited 1,200 guests. Do you want to make things better or worse? (to cameraman) Don't film. This isn't useful.
Reporter:
No more than thirty people have showed up--
Amireddine Sadrnejad:
You want to play ridiculous games.
Reporter:
This isn't worthy of Khajeh Nassir--
Amireddine Sadrnejad:
Listen to me. You're not qualified.
Reporter:
All right, I'm not qualified--
Amireddine Sadrnejad:
You know why? This is Iran. Come at noon and the place will be packed.
Reporter:
It's 10:30--
Amireddine Sadrnejad:
Yes, it's 10:30. There's still time to noon.
Reporter:
Is the ceremony supposed to be at noon?
Amireddine Sadrnejad:
I've done things like this fifty times before. Why are you disrupting me? Why are you wasting my time? This is ridiculous.
Reporter:
(to cameraman) Show the scene...
Amireddine Sadrnejad:
I'm going to have security take you in.
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