Why I interviewed Giulio Andreotti (1919-2013)
Posted by By ifvc at 15 May, at 17 : 17 PM Print
Giulio Andreotti, former premier of Italy, died last week on May 6th at age 94. He was one of postwar Italy’s most powerful politicians, helping to draft the country’s constitution after World War II. He spent sixty years in parliament and served as Italy’s premier for seven terms.
For the last several years, I have been working on a feature documentary entitled The Life & Legacy of Mohammad Mossadegh, which I hope to finish by next year. In the interest of this production being as accurate and objective as it can be, I have interviewed more than one hundred and twenty people around the world from all points on the social and political spectrum, both Iranian and non-Iranian, including historians, journalists, writers, military officers, businessmen, political players and witnesses, people from various political groups, and Mossadegh’s associates and contemporaries, including his enemies.
Giulio Andreotti was among the first group that I interviewed in Rome, Italy in the fall of 2005. I wanted to hear directly from him what the policy of the postwar Italian Government under Christian Democrats towards the national Liberation Movements had been, why they bought oil from Mossadegh, and what was Mattie’s motivation for buying Iranian oil, along with many other questions. It was a pleasant day and I achieved my goal.
It is important to note that my brother, Dr. Bijan Maghsoudlou, who was educated in Italy, was there, along with my close friend and translator Dr. Mohammad Djafarzadeh. Thanks to all.
