Amir Hassan Cheheltan does not, on the whole, have an optimistic view of social developments in Iran over the past century and describes modern Iranian thought and literature as “congenitally deformed.” He does, however, acknowledge the importance of the Islamic Revolution as ”a full-length mirror that showed us to ourselves.” But the cost of this self-knowledge was the loss of almost all the capabilities of the Iranian nation.
All the same, he considers the “mirror” of the revolution to have been beneficial for the growth of contemporary Iranian literature—especially the novel. Over the past two decades, Cheheltan has witnessed unprecedented enthusiasm for novels in parallel with a notable decline in the reading of poetry. He interprets this phenomenon as a shift in society from emotion and mysticism to rationality and levelheadedness. He welcomes this development and believes contemporary literature can don Iran’s revolution-stricken society in the garb of a new, global identity, and rid it of old sediments and superstitions.
Although there is always a distance between the public and writers in their capacity as observers, Cheheltan does not feel alienated in his traditionalist society which is beset by censorship. As far as he is concerned, even Hedāyat, who can easily be said to have been the epitome of an alienated artist in a traditionalist and backward society, would not have been able to produce valuable works without some “commerce” between himself and his society. Cheheltan’s novels are fueled by the contrast between Iran’s urban society—especially in Tehran—and Iran’s legend-based history. In his novels, he tries to depict this “modern, legend-based” history in everyday life.
Cheheltan has survived two attempts on his life. In 1999, he fled Iran amid a surge of violence against the nation’s intellectuals. He returned to Tehran two years later and has since continued publishing his work. His most recent book, Tehran, Revolution Street, was published in 2009. Killing American in Tehran, a detailed portrait of the mega-city Tehran as the focal point of the conflicts between the CIA, the British Secret Service, the Mullahs and the Shah’s reign of terror, was published this August.
Shiva Rahbaran interviews Amir Hassan Cheheltan DOWNLOAD Interview