Editor’s note: InsideIRAN conducted the following interview with a commentator based in Tehran, who wishes to remain anonymous.
Q: Did you see any evidence in Iran that sanctions were or were not having an effect?
A: Based on my conversations with people over the last couple of weeks, prices have gone up. Prices of basic goods have certainly increased. This is more like a panic. The Islamic republic is certainly adept to such things over the years. They keep themselves propped up through their alliances with other countries. I think it is too early to tell what the overall impact is going to be but I don’t think it is going to be negligible.
Q: Do Iranians blame the West for sanctions or the Iranian government?
A: I think the overall feeling on the street is, “Can we all just catch a break?! We are taking it from all sides!” I don’t think you can ever convince any population that sanctions are good for them. This is a fact of life. The more people I talk to say they knew they were going to impose hardship on the Iranian people but they think in the end it would be good for them. I think the majority of people over there, especially those struggling to get by to put food on the table and pay for clothes and school, would argue that this is not the best rout.
Q: How do you assess the views among Iran’s leaders of the relationship with the West? Do they believe it is at a critical stage or do they think the crisis will subside?
A: I think just like the U.S and other places, one thing Iran has in common with the U.S is that Iran had a big government composed of many moving parts and lots of different people. I don’t think there is one approach. That is a part of the internal conflict and when that conflict is over, then they will assess whether or not to open their relationship with the West, and the U.S in particular. There are various camps and one of them believes this relationship is important for the Islamic Republic’s survival. There is another camp that believes not having relationship with the West is essential for its survival.
I think what we are seeing right now, a big part of it, is that a specific fight is being played out in the establishment inside Iran. Ultimately, I believe that you can’t stop progress, especially in the field of technology, communications, wireless internet, mobile networks are all parts of daily life in Iran and it is not possible to stop this regardless of what the regime wants to do that or not. I am sure there are many within the regime who want to curb people’s access but it is not possible to do that.
Q: Is there still a strong element of fear among the masses? Do they think the government is listening to their calls, watching their moves, and reading their emails?
A: The fear factor is there, but I don’t think it is based in reality. I think more and more as people get educated about the internet, their fears fade away. This is like flying. When you don’t know anything about it, you are scared. But when you learn the physics of it and the calculus behind it, you realize it is not scary anymore. There is an element of that happening in Iran. It is clear that is it virtually impossible to track Skype. I am sure there are people who think everything they do can be monitored. That is not true. And it is not possible. So many people are now back on Facebook. So many people who changed their names on Facebook are back to using their normal names. I think people are for the most part back to their normal lives although it will never be the same. People have moved on from talking about the election. Things are constantly evolving.