Iran's Voices Not So Different From America's

Sept. 24, 2006 — -- Ritual chants of "Death to America," in Tehran and the defiance of President Ahmadinejad at the U.N. this past week are the Iranian voices heard most often around the world.

But when ABC's Jim Sciutto traveled to Iran recently, he found more common ground among the people.

He met a mother shopping with her daughters.

"Why should we be enemies?" said Fatima, referring to Iran and the U.S. "The new generation is for peace. They're not for war."

American culture is still popular in Iran, and so are Americans themselves, if not President Bush.

"Both countries are just after their own interests," said Hoda, an Iranian woman. "And that's what makes relations sour."

There are differences around the country, especially away from the cities.

Sciutto visited Ahmadinejad's birthplace, several hours outside of Tehran. Ahmadinejad has modeled himself politically as a man of the people, and it is from poor rural areas, like his hometown, where he draws much of his political support.

It is also where his fiery, anti-Western rhetoric resonates best. There, his threats against the U.S. and Israel amount to justified reactions to Western bullying.

"He is simply standing up to those who are denying Muslims their rights," said Mohammed, a teacher, as well as Ahmadinejad's cousin. "He is defending Islam and justice."

Across the country, one thing united the Iranians Sciutto spoke with: Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Fatima said nuclear power could be a good deterrent. It would be very nice to go to bed, she said, without the threat of being attacked.

Later, a shopkeeper posed a question many others asked throughout Iran: If the United States has nuclear weapons, he asked, why shouldn't we?