Nobody in the Middle East wants to live under a totalitarian regime, Sadegh Tirafkan says. But he does wonder if the Americans have a good alternative. Is their version of democracy really what people want and need? In any case the US has little sensitivity for the culture, religion and life style in the region. All they are concerned about are the military actions. Damage to cultural and religious monuments and traditions in the Middle East, often thousands of years old, is at the most a secondary concern. With his interpretation of a classic Persian carpet, Tirafkan seeks to preserve these traditions.

Sadegh Tirafkan (b. 1965, Iraq) lived in Iran for 20 years. Presently he divides his time between Iran and Canada for living and working.