Quote 1
"The entire war was just a big setup to destroy both the Iranian and the Iraqi armies. The former was the most powerful in the Middle East in 1980, and the latter represented a real danger to Israel." (29.53)
Here's another reason that Iran will never be at peace: other powers pit them against other countries. Marjane's dad is referring to U.S. and British involvement in these wars in the 1980s and '90s. What are these countries' relationships with Iran like now? We bet that, whenever you read this, they're not good.
Quote 2
"The regime got scared because if these opponents had reached Tehran, they would have freed those who represented a real threat to the government…" (29.66)
Marjane's dad talks a lot about Iranian politics in this chapter, and it can be confusing, especially for an outsider. The short of it is this: the few in power killed hundreds of thousands of people to ensure they stayed in power. That's some corruption right there. Notice that Dad says "real threat to the government," instead of a real threat to the people. The powers that be are not concerned with the people—only themselves.
Quote 3
"The elections were faked and they believe the results." (9.5)
We're not sure if this is Marji's father telling the truth or him buying into political propaganda, but he definitely believes that this is the truth. At least their election didn't hang on the interpretation of a few hanging chads.
Quote 4
Politics and sentiment don't mix. (6.17)
Marji's father is talking about the relationship between Egypt and the Shah, but the same quote can be applied to Marji's internal conflict regarding her feelings and her politics. You've heard the phrase it's business, not personal, but sometimes business is really personal. Just ask Donald Trump, who loves "hiring" his friends on Celebrity Apprentice. We're looking at you, Joan Rivers.
Quote 5
"Don't worry. Everyone who left will come back. They're just afraid of change." (9.20)
This is oversimplification on Marji's dad's part. They're not just afraid of change; they're afraid of the regime changing so much that they become the enemy and get imprisoned… or worse.
Quote 6
"The basis of education comes from the family!" (13.25)
We agree with this, but what happens when the family's educational ideals are directly opposite those of the state-run government's ideals? Is there a way to compromise? Marji's father stands up for his family's ideals and insults the female school principal's moustache. So there you go—way to go, Pops.