I never said China is the reason Iran is underdeveloped. Don’t put words in my mouth. I was discussing with another member about a hypothetical where Iran somehow becomes a low-tech manufacturer for China, and I pointed out how stupid that is given China’s history with its allies and its obedience to US sanctions. In that kind of doomsday scenario, I said it’s simply better to choose the West since their track record of actually building up countries is stronger. Then the other guy twisted it into some nonsense about racism.
And no, Japan wouldn’t have magically re-emerged on its own after WWII—it was flattened. US protection, capital, and market access were decisive. Just look at North vs. South Korea if you think “culture alone” explains it. Same people, same resources—one side backed by China is still starving, the other backed by the US is a global powerhouse. Iran’s economy before and after switching from West to East is another clear example. The list goes on.