This guy is not surprise. Most Iranians do think of themselves as white.

I knew a Palestinian and he spoke of Egyptians as so:
"in the beginning, there were the original people. Then some other people came in and started country. The original disappeared."

If that is not enough, we can see how these middle easterners distort the facts about their countries history and present-day news. Even to this country. They are not to be believed because they are more likely than not a decendnet of invaders.

It is much like this country (USA). It was natives, then whites cam in a brought blacks, now it is seen a white country and the natives are not respected or even seen as having been here.

The bottom line is that you need the power and land to make people hear you. As long as others control the land, you have nothing. Not even a voice.