Without My Daughter (Part 6 of 6)

The the real Mahmoody behind the backwards like and violent Mahmoody character in the 90's movie "Not Without My Daughter". He is still in search of his beloved daughter, Mahtob Mahmoody.

Sayed Mahmoody (70) is a medical doctor who trained in the UK and the USA. He lived and worked in America for more than twenty years where he established a successful practice as an anaesthetist and consultant in Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy (OMT). OMT is a holistic treatment that deals with the patient as a whole being. OMT practitioners use their hands to apply pressure on muscles, nerves and joints – to relieve pain, stiffness and tension in the whole body.

He is an aristocratic Iranian by birth. Sayed’s mother and father died by the time he was eight-years-old, and he was raised by his sister. Although a strict Muslim, he is no way fanatical and believes that Islam is a religion of tolerance, enlightenment and peace.

Sayed returned to Iran with his wife, Betty and daughter, Mahtob with the aim of using his medical knowledge to help treat the victims of the Iran-Iraq war. Days after his green-card expired, Betty left Terhan without warning, taking Mahtob with her on a Swissair Flight to the US. She then divorced Sayed in a US court where he had no voice, so gaining control of all the family’s assets, including substantial properties and savings. The court case and subsequent publication of his wife’s book, Not Without My Daughter, made him persona non grata in the USA.

Sayed has never remarried and continues to work full-time as an OMT practitioner, anaesthetist and university lecturer in Tehran.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Without
• My
• Daughter
• Not
• Iran
• Tehran
• Documentary
• Hollywood
• Seyyed
• Bozorg
• Mahmoody
• Betty
• Mahtob
• Finland

[simaabinaa]

without his daughter, he died.

how sad

[theevilpersian]

You just gave a very sad news....

[arjybarjy]

Did Dr Mahmoody actually say anything other than "I'm sad and I want to see my daughter"? He says he wants to put forward his side of the story and when he gets a chance, he just gets on camera looking sad. Of course he's sad, but if he kept his family in Iran against their wlll, then deserves to be sad. I hate that no-one takes responsibility for their actions. Do the crime,do the time.

However, I'm sure the movie is exaggerated for cinematic effect. IRAN didn't abuse Betty, Dr Mahmoody did!

[rubyflipper]

Oh please!! Doesn't the judge understand? NO ONE is talking about politics. This is about the father wishing to see his own daughter.

[Jeanne90275]

If Mahtob had wanted to see or talk to her father,

she certainly would have. And neither Betty nor

Mahtob could have gotten out of Iran without the

help of some very brave Iranian people...I think both

the book and the movie make that quite clear.

[JusticeBlaze1]

At the end of the day, truth lies on a spectrum, not a dichotomy. It is much easier to determine what is true and what isn't then to know what is true but only half the story. False conclusions can have true premises and vice-versa. As per my personal opinion, while I do acknowledge that the truth most likely lays somewhere in the middle, I also believe Betty has greatly embellished her side of the story and I believe it was even encouraged by the mainstream media to further the American agenda.

[ligianavaie]

Who is irrational??? when he is saying that he wants to kill a lot of iranians!! Bottom line, is that Iranians are wonderful people, they are not what the US depict them as. I dont believe Betty one inch. I am engaged to an Iranian men and he is such a respectful wonderful person. not only him but all Iranians I have met. People cant generalize about a every person of a country, because than we have to judge all american for the KKK and other irrational groups that are permitted in this country

[Klm49]

Why doesn't the filmmaker help this man go through the paperwork to get a visa to get to the U.S.? Why does the film end with him calling the U.S. embassy in Helsinki and not with the process of him either being denied or granted a visa to the U.S. from Iran? This documentary does not feel compelling when I keep asking simple questions: "Has he been officially barred from the U.S.? Why doesn't the filmmaker help him hire a private-eye to get a proper answer from Mahtob?!"

[strivestruggle]

this made me cry. this is a sin not letting a father see his daughter and lying. 1 day she will leave the money behind and die and face God and her husband and daughter.

[animalplanet90]

@theevilpersian yes soo sad , although I don't like him but I feel very sorry. At least she could just listen to him answer his phone just the phone ..

[Feezy20]

@harchinam if shes over 18 which she has been for a longtime she could leave without permission sorry to dissapoint and im sure she hasnt learned anything shes just heard her mothers side as she was so young

[JayArgonaut]

Wow, thanks for sharing this. The judge's unashamed bigotry (on camera!) was disturbing. Imagine being a person of colour, especially a Muslim and having your case go before him. He seems like he'd send you to the chair for stealing a sandwich. Very ironic for him to talk about hate and fanaticism but yet carry so much racism and generalisations within his heart. He must've been a dream come true for Betty's case! Anyhow, interesting film and it was good to see the other side of this story.

[foreveryoung1]

That Judge is an asshole

The movie was sensationalised for public consumption

So many questions still

Why has it taken 16 years to give his side of the story

If they had permission to leave Iran why did they need to escape

If everything was okay why is his (adult) daughter still not wanting anything to do with him.

You can't hold people hostage, if they don't want to be there regardless of how nice you treated them. It was never going to be a happy ending for everyone involved.

[glammie4]

@Durdur752 I agree as well.I also believe if Matob really wanted contact with him she would have. Why did he wait so long. Maybe a year or two, and he would have had a right, because the courts did screw up, I have to agree with that as well. You don't serve papers after the whole thing is "done and over". That would have been grounds to overthrow the whole judgment.