Sadegh Zibakalam, who is a political science professor at Tehran University and a respected public intellectual, has been outspoken about the Iranian government’s reluctance to embrace overtures from President Barack Obama. Below is an interview insideIRAN.org conducted with him from his home in Tehran.
Q: Can you please explain Iran’s strategy now? Western governments view Iran’s behavior as defiant and there is widespread confusion over why Iran apparently does not intend to cooperate over its nuclear program. Has Iran now decided on direct confrontation with the West?
A: I don’t think Iran is thinking about direct confrontation with the West. But Iran feels that it has been put in a position that it must resist and fight back over its nuclear program.
Q: Why do you think the Iranian government has rejected the fifth offer made by the international community regarding its nuclear enrichment program?
A: It is a very complicated issue because I understand that Ahmadinejad and some others within the Iranian establishment were inclined to take that offer, but other Iranian leaders felt that if they made a compromise, they would be criticized by the opposition and by the very same kind of criticism they levied against the reformists during the freeze on nuclear enrichment during Mohammad Khatami’s term as president. They attacked Khatami and Hassan Rohani, Iran’s nuclear negotiator at the time, during the Khatami years for accepting an offer from the 5+1.
Q: You mentioned there are elements in the Iranian establishment who are more positive to the offer made by 5+1. On what grounds would the government accept the offer made by the West?
A: Unfortunately, the nuclear issue has become a tool for many hardliners to carry on with their crusade against the West. It is unfortunate that many Iranian leaders view the nuclear issue as a battleground with the West. They fear that if they give in to the West, then the West would demand more concessions. They are worried that in case of cooperation on the nuclear issue, the West would then come and ask about human rights and ending support for Hamas and Hezbollah.
Q: Is there fear inside the country of a military attack by Israel or do people believe it will never happen?
A: There is a feeling in Iran that such an attack would be with prior knowledge and consent from Washington. Israel will not attack Iran on its own initiative. As I told you in my previous answer, Iranians are somewhat confident that Washington will not give such a green light to Tel Aviv.
There was such a feeling and concern under the Bush administration that Iran or its nuclear sites might become targets of military strikes. That is why Iran decided to build a second nuclear site near Qom in a safe and secure location which cannot be easily attacked from air or by missiles. Since Obama has come to power, that fear that Iran might be raided militarily has decreased. Neither the government nor the Iranian people feel threatened since the new administration came to power last year.
Q: From research and documentation we are receiving, it seems President Ahmadinejad is now losing support even among Iranians who had been his foundation of support? Do you see this in Iran, and why is it happening?
A: Ahmadinejad has proved to be a difficult person to work with. Many hardliners have gradually distanced themselves from Ahmadinejad in the past four years and five months. That trend has intensified during the last few months that he has been in his second term. It is very difficult for many hardliners to work with Ahmadinejad because he is very stubborn and he is not very inclined toward discussion and respecting others’ opinions. So he can only work, as he proved in the past four years, with people who demonstrate absolute subordination to him. If you want to discuss your own opinion or criticize Ahmadinejad, if you are unhappy about his opinions, then you cannot work with him. That has caused plenty of dissatisfaction among politicians who used to be his supporters.
Q: Can you please explain the reasons conservative clerics are resigning as Friday prayer leaders?
A: Increasingly, the moderate Iranian clerical leaders are disassociating themselves with the Supreme Leader and Ahmadinejad. They are distancing themselves and keeping quiet. They do not publicly support Ahmadinejad. They still pay respect to the Supreme Leader, but have definitely stopped supporting Ahmadinejad.
Q: Can you please explain the developments inside the universities? Are professors being targeted by the authorities?
A: No, I cannot say that because other than a half a dozen lecturers who were detained after the election in June, we haven’t had any members of the academy detained for political reasons. There have been dozens of students who were arrested. Most of them have been released a few weeks after the tensions.