What If We Take Iran at Face Value?

I was at the University of California at Santa Barbara when the Shah of Iran fell to the "righteous" movement of Khomeini. A Pakistani friend of mine told me that he expected good things from that revolution if they stuck to the teachings of Islam.

More than thirty years later I see that the revolution got corrupted, these pious men are getting money and power, and the country is going to waste.

Since my friend said that, out of respect I did not say anything, but deep inside, since I am not a religious person, I felt that this did not look good.

Now disillusined of all messiahs, atheists like Joseph Stalin, or religious like Khamenei, I only believe in Democracy.

Taking Iranians at face value, they are doing it all for the good of Allah. Taken at face value, there is no problem in the world.

Since there is problem in the world, I cannot take Iran at face value.