Zolal Habibi - The Iranian Resistance and The Fight for Freedom

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 Okay, welcome Zallal Habibi to the show. I'm glad you made the time all the way from Paris.

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 Thank you very much. As we discussed offline, one of the reasons I wanted to have you here is I've

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 noticed you through social media in the past and I've reached out, but I know you're extremely

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 busy. I've always wanted to have a chance to talk to you about what's happening over there

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 in Iran and what you're involved with with the NCRI, but I have a feeling that you can

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 offer some very unique insights to what's going on with the protests, the uprising,

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 and what has been going on since 1979 after the Islamic uprising or the Islamic regime took over

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 and while the extreme Islamic regime anyway, but we wanted to go over that and I also want

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 to ask you what got you into being an advocate for change for representing the voices in Iran

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 and being a part of the NCRI? First of all, let me just thank you for the opportunity

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 say hello to all the viewers and listeners who are tuning in. It's a pleasure to be with you

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 and sorry if I have missed previous messages, but as you said, right now we are in a very

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 critical time. Oh, yeah, yeah, it was not a big deal. I figured you're busy as heck. I get

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 it. Not a problem. Sorry for that, but right now in these critical times, it is

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 we're very grateful for the opportunity to be able to share what is happening on the ground

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 and what it is that the Iranian people want and where we're headed to and what is the path forward

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 because I know that in the past few days, everyone saw the momentum on the streets

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 and then today is day 10 of the internet shutdown. So there's been radio silence to

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 a great extent, but the reality is that protest or it's more like clashes now,

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 but they are continuing on the ground and that is something that's important to note

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 that the people of Iran aren't giving in and they're not giving up despite all the

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 brutalities and the high death toll and arrest. So it's still continuing. Myself,

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 just to give you a background, you asked how I got involved. To be honest, I am from the

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 generation who was born after the revolution, so unfortunately I did not see the revolution

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 myself, but growing up I think the situation in Iran has been part and parcel of my life

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 throughout all the years and I could actually say that I don't think there has been a day

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 that I have not thought about the plight of the Iranian people despite being away from Iran.

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 So I was born abroad in the U.S. My parents came to the U.S. before the revolution as

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 students, but I think I was about three, four years old when I first met people who were victims

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 of torture and that really opened my eyes to what is happening in Iran. Even though they

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 would try to hide it from me because I was a child, they didn't want me to be impacted by

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 that, but I understood what was happening and I knew that, first of all, I was very lucky

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 not to have to live under those circumstances, but I knew that there are a lot of people

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 in the mentality of a child that people my age, kids like me, don't have the freedoms that

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 I do. So it started with that, but in 1988 there was a massacre in Iran and 30,000 people

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 were executed, political prisoners. That summer really changed my life and my aspect on life,

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 especially since my father was also killed that summer by the Iranian regime

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 and that made a very big impact on my life because from that moment on I understood that

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 not only does the regime see no boundaries when it comes to execution, they see no borders too.

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 So no matter where you are, you could be affected by the crimes perpetrated by this regime.

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 I think from very early on, even before my father was killed, even as a child I remember

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 when my parents, like my mom, would go and have info desks or whatever to try to inform

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 people, I was the one who always wanted to be there and wanted to be able to do something

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 for people. That became part of my characteristics in a way. I think I was about 12 the first time

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 I got a signature from a member of Congress in support of Iran. That was my calling in a way

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 and I wanted to be able to do something for my people. But in the summer of 1999 when the

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 uprisings broke out in Iran, it was the first time that our generation was seeing a massive

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 protest. At that time, it was the first time that was also being televised in a way because

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 back then it was the start of the cable television and there was CNN and so the world

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 was seeing it for the first time, an uprising or a protest in Iran. At that point, I had

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 just graduated high school and I was on my way to go and study medicine actually. I had gotten a

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 full scholarship and everything but I decided to put that all aside and join the immediate

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 resistance instead because I felt like I can't just be a bystander and watch. I need to be a

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 part of this and I need to be one of those who dedicates their lives or even sacrifices

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 their lives. So our people, our nation, our history, our future can see a democratic republic

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 in Iran. So what is your involvement though? What are you doing yourself personally in the

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 NCRI? Was it National Council of Resistance of Iran? Yes. I am a member of the Foreign

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 Affairs Committee. I do a lot of different types of work both with the Iranian diaspora

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 the Iranian associations in different capacities both in Europe and in the US and also in regards

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 to working with lawmakers, parliamentarians, the media and trying to just echo the voice of

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 the Iranian people and to try to push forward what it is that the people of Iran are calling

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 for and drawing, raising awareness on the issues and trying to gain support for the

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 people of Iran and as I said in different capacities and depending on you know the issues

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 that are on the table on daily basis. How easy is it though to get information in and out of

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 Iran though to find out what's really happening versus what's propaganda for example and how are

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 you able to get your message to the Iranian people itself because as you know the regime

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 is very strict and very much in control of what happens there in terms of communication

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 and information for example. So how are you able to circumvent that and able to get the message

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 across and also to get the voices that are in Iran like getting those voices heard to the world?

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 Well one of the principal organizations which is a member of the National Council of Resistance

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 of Iran is the MEK the People's Majority Organization of Iran. They have a very

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 vast network on the ground inside of Iran. We just like for instance in 2024 we saw

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 over 39,000 activities that were carried out by the resistance units on the ground

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 and over 3,000 centers of oppression which were targeted by them. So they have a very

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 vast network inside of Iran which is one of the main sources of the resistance to be able

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 to get obtain information firsthand from on the ground but also I think now the age of

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 technology has been very helpful in getting those communicated be it social media or

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 messaging apps or whatnot that which are used to be able to make direct contact with people

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 inside of Iran and obtain that information. First of all the Iranian resistance has a

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 satellite television it's called Simay Azadi and it is a 24-hour broadcast it's an independent

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 satellite the first independent Persian language satellite television which is funded by the

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 Iranian diaspora and the Iranian resistance. So what's key is that it's independent. I think

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 the only independent satellite television that we actually have is other ones are funded by

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 a government or an entity so they at the end of the day they have to align with that messaging

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 so this is the only independent one so that's why people are able to obtain those messages

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 directly and to hear what is going on what is being done what is happening on inside of

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 Iran because unfortunately because of the censorship a lot of times people within the

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 country are not aware of what is happening in a different area of the country so getting that

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 information out and also sharing what is happening in the international arena and what

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 is being done by the Iranian diaspora abroad for the people everyone so that serves as a

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 really strong platform to be able to get the truth out. Right but is there not any

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 stumbling blocks for example with the Iranian government or the regime of control I mean

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 I'm sure they're able to find radio frequencies and jam them or restrict communications in

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 general blackouts as they have now the past 10 days so I can't imagine it's a constant

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 open-ended communication 24-7 is there resistance to that? Yeah you're absolutely right I mean

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 it's a constant communication war out there it's not the Iranian regime has really pursued every

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 angle that they can jamming right now with satellite how strong satellites have gotten the

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 jamming isn't that effective anymore but they do create like problems even internationally

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 trying to contact you know those satellite dishes and everything satellite companies to me

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 stop the broadcast or whatnot but we are airing on like five six different satellites so people

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 can reach it one way or another because the regime can't be censoring all of them

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 but on the other hand with in times like these that like for instance communication is

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 also limited it is also available on the internet for times that there is internet

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 connection and we do have special means that have been created for people inside of Iran

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 to be able to connect but right now with the internet connection you know being this radio

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 silence that we have satellite has not been cut off so people are getting a lot of those

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 messages but we are creating other forms of communication there is also like for instance

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 the radio version for people to be able to reach easier especially when like the bandwidth is low

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 but there are different paths and methods that are being pursued to make sure that we can

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 get that message across as I said the radio angle is being worked on right now so hopefully

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 we'll have a stronger presence like on amf and radios for people inside everyone to be able to

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 reach it so these are things that are constantly being worked on but as I said I think right now

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 under normal circumstances not the past 10 days but being available on all like social media

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 platforms and messaging apps and things that has also been very helpful of course that is

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 cut off right now but the satellite people are still able to obtain it even despite the

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 um communication breakdown right now no I understand all that I understand that the

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 internet's very valuable I'm just surprised that they're not um doing as some countries doing

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 blocking ips for example uh traffic in and out from different countries or going into in or

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 out of different places or information I mean they could the government could literally still

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 restrict even that information online um so it almost sounds like what you're saying though

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 is really yeah it kind of exposes the truth in that maybe the regime or the government is

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 not the all-seeing all-powerful eye in Iran because obviously you're finding ways to get

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 around it um so looks like there's still opportunity which is a good thing for the

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 people so let's let's get to this resistance though because here's here's what I find

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 fascinating is it took a while for anyone to report on what's happening and everybody is

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 concerned but you know this resistance to this regime has been over 40 years and it's just now

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 getting the eyeballs it deserves um what's different this time though what is it that

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 is different about this uprising is it the amount of people is it the consistency in in

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 the end persistence in the resistance or are people just ready to see uh Iran free

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 I think that there are a few factors that play into it um I think if you look at the

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 uprisings in Iran in the past decade um you see first of all every time you see it's evolving

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 step by step um like for instance if you will go back like 2017 the uprisings were about

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 the same time they were at the end of December beginning of January um but that was like the

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 end like the slogans um they spoke themselves like that was the end of the era of people trying

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 to still have some kind of a hope in reform within the regime so one of the main slogans

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 was um reformist hardliners the game is over so you know that was one phase that passed

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 and after that you know this was not a card that the regime could play anymore um and

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 we see we saw like the 2019 uprisings when it started with the issue of the fuel costs

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 and it spread um people started you know we saw people standing in defiance there was more

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 the use of you know people trying to protect themselves inviting back the regime and whatnot

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 so that was like one phase but unfortunately it was very short it was about it lasted

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 about five days um it was stopped with the internet crackdown which was a three-day crackdown

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 and unfortunately 1,500 people lost their lives um in that process and then we had 2022

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 in between 2019 and 2022 the reality is covid bought the regime a lot of time uh but what

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 we see is like that the time between the protests are becoming shorter and each time

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 radical than the previous time and new methods being used one of the things that I think was

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 very important about this new wave was first of all uh the previous ones the waves usually

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 started from other cities this time it was from it started from the capital started from

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 tehran the tehran bazaar the bazaar is uh the merchants iran's merchants it's kind of like

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 in the u.s so they have um a lot of power in society and it's also important to note their

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 historic presence i mean during the 1979 revolution also the point when the bazaar

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 joined the the uprising that was a turning point so that's why it had a um such importance

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 this time uh what was important it wasn't limited to the bazaar and their strike

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 from the first day within the first few hours the slogans went from addressing the economic crisis

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 to down with the dictator down with how many and um the next day we saw the students join

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 and so we saw people from literally all walks of life but also all the different

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 generations coming together in this protest like for instance in 2022 um you saw that there was

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 parts of society that weren't too involved in the protest this time you saw everyone coming

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 together um and it soon did spread to different areas like for instance when you look at the

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 protest you see one of the um places that they had the highest i guess um number of

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 uh clashes and continuous protests was in the western part of iran in elam province and

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 other provinces or like for instance we saw the northern part of iran

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 join the protest which in previous protests they weren't too present um or like for instance

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 mashhad the second largest city of iran like over hundreds of thousands of people came to

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 the streets some even said like a million but you know um so we saw that presence from all

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 you know all walks of life uh we also saw all 31 provinces eventually joining these protests um i

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 think one of the most important things is the nature of the protest first of all um people were

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 very you saw unity between them um a lot of people who were on the ground they said we've

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 seen so much hope in people's eyes that spark of you know hope and ambition that you saw among

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 people but you also saw it in their defiance we saw especially the role of the rebellious

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 youth and the resistance units who you saw everyone touched on one thing that there was a

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 organized factor in there that you could see in some of the videos you could see that there

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 are a few youth they come you know they come they organize people they keep them in the on

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 the scene even despite when the regime attacks and they they're able to raise everyone's morale

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 for them to stay and then for them to continue and that kind of organized resistance well

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 that's what this resistance has been building for the past decade with the resistance units

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 which have doubled annually practically every year in the past few years and we also saw

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 their protesters going on the offensive and that is what the regime feared the most

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 the reality is the regime fears nothing more than seeing this defiance and among people

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 we saw people who were disarming suppressive forces we saw two adjacent cities which were

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 liberated by the people and we saw that people were you know um setting up barricades

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 you know using fire to be able to protect themselves push back the suppressive forces

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 and this is something that um i think is unprecedented to in this extent um and i think

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 one of the most important things is that despite people knowing that the regime is using um live

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 ammunition they still come to the streets a lot of people um when they would go to the streets

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 they would tell you know they would give their final farewells to their loved ones and their

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 family and then they would still go so it was a um a decision that they made with full understanding

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 of what is happening on the ground and what the consequences can be but they're still taking

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 that risk and they're still coming to the streets and i think the slogans were also very

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 important i think the people of iran reiterated what it is that they don't want but they also

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 pointed at what it is that they do that for instance some of the major uh slogans were um like

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 down with the oppressor be it the shah or the mullahs or no crown no turban we want freedom

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 and liberty which were like yesterday there was a protest actually in paris that people were

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 like repeating those slogans that came from on the ground inside every run and they were

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 repeating this so people everyone i think they one of the main messages that we get is they

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 want to be able to make sure that the world hears their message and that is there is a third option

197
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 when it comes to iran first of all uh when you look at it from the international perspective

198
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 we're not stuck in between the solution to run is not either appeasement or war there's a

199
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 third option supporting the Iranian people and their organized resistance they have the

200
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 when it comes to the solution for Iran the future of Iran we're not stuck between choosing

201
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 between bad or worse we don't have to choose between the theocracy ruling Iran right now which

202
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 is a clerical dictatorship and going back to the previous dictatorship was the monarchy and

203
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 the shahs and his sabah which was also a dictatorship the people everyone revolted for a

204
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 reason you don't go and take something back out of the trash can and bring it into power

205
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 we want to move forward to a secular democratic republic where there is people sovereignty and

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 that's like the message that we hear a lot from Iran yeah i hear you so but in the the previous

207
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 monarchy um was accused of being authority becoming authoritarian but really from what i

208
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 had known research and talked to many people about this it was really because they didn't

209
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 like that at that time they were becoming more westernized and their ideals right and so

210
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 that's what i was told uh unfortunately that's not the reality the reality is that the shah

211
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 first of all if we're talking about some of the issues that exist today right now in

212
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 the regime it's a bit more extreme of what it was back then too like for instance poverty

213
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 there was a lot of poverty back then in Iran there was a report um actually it's in the

214
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 of alam who was one the prime minister of the shah and the reality is only five percent of iran

215
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 had running water during the shah's time at a time that the shah was holding like the 2500

216
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 year celebrations and you know bringing food in from paris with concord and whatnot people

217
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 suffering there was you know chanty towns and all over tehran um so there was a major class

218
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 difference in poverty uh we also had the sabak especially after the coup d'etat against dr

219
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 masada who was the only democratic government that we've ever had in iran um after that

220
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 the shah ruled with the sabak okay so basically what the what the world knows is being told is

221
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 all incorrect it was really just came down to mismanagement impoverishment etc had nothing to

222
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 do with um getting away from um traditional values or whatnot or westernized whatsoever

223
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 nothing i mean the iranian people are i mean in their i mean way of thinking they're very

224
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 um progressive and modern i mean the issue was not modernization the issue was the fact that

225
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 of all one of the issues was the shah was unfortunately a puppet of western government

226
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 so that that was an issue and i mean you know we saw the effects on iran unfortunately iran's

227
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 um wealth was being given away to keep the shah empowered i mean the shah to keep himself

228
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 in power he did their bidding or whatever they wanted from him um so that was an issue

229
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 but the reality is that we had the sabak who was killing people we had executions the tortures

230
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 a lot of the entities that you see today of what you know the oppressive forces in the regime

231
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 today if you go back those structures were created by the shah so my friends my father

232
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 he was a law student in tehran university um he he was given the you know the chance

233
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 because he was one of the top students he was given a possibility to become a judge

234
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 but the thing was if you wanted to become a judge you had to push forward like what the shah

235
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 wants and let's talk let's talk about now though um what exactly can you pinpoint exactly

236
00:25:17.080 --> 00:25:23.080
 what it is the what the resistance is really about though i mean you've you've cited

237
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 poverty obviously economic conditions but what is the actual oppression out i mean what what are

238
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 they actually resisting because this has been it's longer than been a decade for example

239
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 within the past 10 years it's just been like you said progressively they become more

240
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 emboldened in their actions but what what is it that they're actually resisting i mean i

241
00:25:45.060 --> 00:25:53.580
 understand that iran needs a democratic governance um and in my eyes and i don't live there and don't

242
00:25:53.580 --> 00:25:59.300
 you know i'm not iranian but it would seem that the separation as you said earlier church and

243
00:25:59.300 --> 00:26:03.820
 state or taking religion out of the governing body is what really needs to happen so is

244
00:26:03.820 --> 00:26:08.780
 that part of this uprising is some of the suppression the extreme ideologies that are

245
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 imposed on people or is it just the economic conditions it is definitely not just the economic

246
00:26:16.580 --> 00:26:22.380
 situation i think that if you look at your own society today there's not one single place

247
00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:26.540
 that you could put your finger on that has not been destroyed completely by this vision

248
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 um the people of iran have reached the point that they're coming there's no aspect of their

249
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 mind in regards to um when you go to the streets you don't know if you're going to be able to

250
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 come back home safe that's the reality of iran and in the last nearly half a century

251
00:26:51.620 --> 00:26:58.200
 um there's a suppressive forces there are over 32 different suppressive organs in

252
00:26:58.200 --> 00:27:05.520
 in the iranian regime um last year we witnessed 2 200 executions in 2025

253
00:27:05.520 --> 00:27:12.640
 in iran suppression is really high we see the prisons are overwhelmed with political prisoners

254
00:27:12.640 --> 00:27:21.260
 with um you know ethnic groups um people from different diverse ethnicities who are imprisoned

255
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 the regime is only able to keep itself in power through suppression women are suffering

256
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 in their day-to-day day-to-day life um there's nothing that people have to look forward to

257
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 right now they're with the economic crisis that has been that's something that's just

258
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 fighting on the cake now but i mean even right now if you look at the environment uh

259
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 people don't have running water right now there's water shortage issue in iran

260
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 actually just about two months ago said we might have to evacuate tehran

261
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 due to the water shortage keep iran which is a rich country sitting on oil and natural resources

262
00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:08.600
 people don't have electricity for like two three hours a day um and that is creating a lot of

263
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 tension and pressure and problems so i mean it's one thing if you say okay this is a

264
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 suppressive regime it does this and that but people are at ease with other issues no there's

265
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 not a single issue that you could put your finger on that the people are not just fed up

266
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 with this regime in its entirety and so the people want change especially the gen z of iran

267
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 i think that they understand especially now with i mean we're in the age of technology

268
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 they have connections to the outside world they're seeing how the world is going and

269
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 they know that this is not the norm what we are suffering in iran and so they want to see

270
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 that iran's population has doubled since 1979 till now so it's a very young population

271
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 and so this generation they they really know that they've seen their parents

272
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 and their grandparents and they see that if you try to just safeguard yourself we're never

273
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 going to end this cycle but we know that no one's going to hand us freedom in a silver

274
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 platter we have to pay a price for it but we have to bring about that change no one's

275
00:29:19.820 --> 00:29:23.960
 going to make that change so we have to pay the price and i think that is what's important

276
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 because one of the things that they do say they say we're alive but we're not living

277
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 this is not life what we have so we need to put an end to it even if that price is our

278
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 lives but we need to make sure that we could move forward into the 21st century okay so

279
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 going going back to to the to the other parts of question though

280
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 um is it needed to take the religion out of the governance for example because here's the thing

281
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 i know a lot of people have their opinions but what i what i see and what the world sees

282
00:29:58.280 --> 00:30:03.220
 with islam i don't think inherently is bad i don't think everybody is bad that that practices

283
00:30:03.220 --> 00:30:07.360
 or partakes because there are some people who do it for tradition some people just see it as

284
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 a religion and i know iran is very progressive the people are um now here's the problem is it

285
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 really that the regime is using the extreme absolute um extreme view and practice of islam

286
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 to keep people in line and is it just a lie are they just using that to stay in power and they

287
00:30:26.380 --> 00:30:30.960
 themselves don't even believe in what they're doing is is that probably what's really going

288
00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:43.500
 on because like you see the difference that is the second one that you said i mean i don't

289
00:30:43.500 --> 00:30:50.300
 so the extreme interpretation and application of that and the reality we see the corruption among

290
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 the the top topest ranks of the regime itself it has nothing to do with this long the reality

291
00:30:56.980 --> 00:31:03.400
 they just use that as a prerequisite to be that's always been my view when i see what's

292
00:31:03.400 --> 00:31:07.520
 going on um with how they're you know uh working with other proxies and whatnot and

293
00:31:07.520 --> 00:31:12.300
 trying to get people to become militant and um whatnot so that's why actually we think that

294
00:31:12.300 --> 00:31:18.700
 yeah that's why actually in the 10-point plan presented by mrs badjami one of the um top

295
00:31:19.360 --> 00:31:24.840
 issues is separation of religion and state because we think that that's crucial first of

296
00:31:24.840 --> 00:31:30.900
 all religion should have no part in any kind of government because first of all religion is

297
00:31:30.900 --> 00:31:35.880
 supposed to be a personal choice for people it should not have an effect on their lifestyle

298
00:31:36.520 --> 00:31:43.920
 or how the government is run or people should not be uh have special privileges based on that or

299
00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:49.280
 with based on lack of that you know um i think that that's really important and the reality is

300
00:31:49.280 --> 00:31:55.560
 that every dictatorship they try to find like one angle to be able to enter the most personal

301
00:31:56.940 --> 00:32:01.360
 issues and personal aspects of people's lives because if they have a control over that then

302
00:32:01.360 --> 00:32:07.800
 right all of society and that is what has done um throughout these decades especially with you

303
00:32:07.800 --> 00:32:15.920
 know it's misogynist views and also the use of religion as a excuse um well it doesn't matter

304
00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:19.560
 if it's religion media whatever if you control that in the narrative you control the minds you

305
00:32:19.560 --> 00:32:22.900
 control people's thoughts really because if that's all you see and know and that's all the

306
00:32:22.900 --> 00:32:27.220
 messaging is and that's what you become right as a nation it is a method of control for

307
00:32:27.220 --> 00:32:33.300
 what what's next though in your mind i mean i i don't do you think that this time the regime

308
00:32:33.300 --> 00:32:36.960
 will be overthrown with everything that's going on do you think it's actually going to happen

309
00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:42.700
 this time and that we will see an actual free iran i think that one thing that's really

310
00:32:42.700 --> 00:32:48.760
 important to note is that this regime is a very brutal bureaucracy it's more complex than

311
00:32:48.760 --> 00:32:56.600
 a classical dictatorship and uh well it has been able to uh really concentrate on keeping

312
00:32:56.600 --> 00:33:03.220
 its power at whatever the cost um but i think what so it's really important to understand that

313
00:33:03.220 --> 00:33:06.320
 a revolution is probably not going to be something that's going to happen overnight

314
00:33:06.920 --> 00:33:12.740
 um so we shouldn't i i know that some people are like oh is it finished now is it over no

315
00:33:12.740 --> 00:33:17.720
 it's not where this is continuing but um if you think it's going to be that simple that

316
00:33:17.720 --> 00:33:24.140
 i mean if this region was going to over be uh overthrown with just a protest it would have

317
00:33:24.140 --> 00:33:28.680
 a lot earlier because the iranian people have been fed up with this regime

318
00:33:28.680 --> 00:33:35.340
 not for one day or two days or 10 years or 20 years i mean practically since 1981 the people

319
00:33:35.340 --> 00:33:41.180
 everyone have called for the overthrow of this regime so what's important to note is that this

320
00:33:41.180 --> 00:33:46.780
 is something that's going to take a bit of time even with the shah it took 18 months for

321
00:33:46.780 --> 00:33:52.070
 the shah to be overthrown so there's probably going to be like a lot of ups and downs in the

322
00:33:52.520 --> 00:33:59.110
 and the you know how it goes but this the regime has turned reached a point of no return

323
00:33:59.670 --> 00:34:02.490
 and i think that's really important to note especially like for instance with these

324
00:34:02.490 --> 00:34:08.070
 uprisings they started with economic crisis the regime can't fix that economic crisis

325
00:34:08.070 --> 00:34:14.659
 it's getting worse and worse so uh in the previous uprisings the regime had always like

326
00:34:15.739 --> 00:34:22.560
 they they were willing to like tactically give in somewhere to be able to safeguard their power

327
00:34:22.560 --> 00:34:29.980
 like for instance loosen up a bit on the you know on the morality police and you know the

328
00:34:29.980 --> 00:34:36.340
 headscarf and whatnot but keep yourself afloat this time there's nothing that they can do about

329
00:34:36.340 --> 00:34:41.960
 it so that this isn't going anywhere this problem this issue is staying and it's growing

330
00:34:41.960 --> 00:34:47.659
 and daily i'm sorry it all seems like this is more than a protest this time though

331
00:34:47.659 --> 00:34:51.940
 you know as you said earlier people become more emboldened their big their uh their actions are

332
00:34:51.940 --> 00:34:57.680
 much more aggressive like they're not backing it down they're dying for freedom literally i think

333
00:34:57.680 --> 00:35:03.980
 that is the that one aspect that i tried to point out before i think that that is the effect

334
00:35:03.980 --> 00:35:09.680
 of the resistance units on the ground of the rebellious youth um that is the new phenomenon

335
00:35:09.680 --> 00:35:15.380
 i think that the world is starting to see um but this is exactly the strategy that the resistance

336
00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:20.340
 laid out over 10 years ago and explained that this is how it's going to be we need

337
00:35:21.420 --> 00:35:28.620
 um these these rebellious youth will become the liberation army of iran and they will be

338
00:35:28.620 --> 00:35:34.210
 overthrowing this regime because as i said i mean especially now you have to understand

339
00:35:35.310 --> 00:35:43.110
 thousands of people have been killed just last week in iran those families they're not going to

340
00:35:43.110 --> 00:35:48.810
 you know just take this right now the thing that the regime is doing it's exactly the same

341
00:35:48.810 --> 00:35:54.350
 tactics they use in 1980s in iran and the people everyone know that so that's why it has

342
00:35:54.350 --> 00:36:04.010
 created this um i don't want to use the word rage in a negative tone to it but the positive

343
00:36:04.010 --> 00:36:11.070
 you know we're not going to let these bloods be lost in vain especially because most of them are

344
00:36:11.070 --> 00:36:18.410
 like teens early 20s families have lost like two three of their children in the past few days

345
00:36:18.410 --> 00:36:23.770
 and the fact that the regime is doing exactly like back in the 1980s the regime would force

346
00:36:23.770 --> 00:36:29.230
 families to pay for the bullets used they're doing that again they are they would print every

347
00:36:29.230 --> 00:36:32.510
 day in the newspapers the pictures of these children that we don't even know their names

348
00:36:32.510 --> 00:36:37.650
 come and identify their bodies the regime is doing that again with the i don't know if you've

349
00:36:37.650 --> 00:36:44.110
 seen the videos of the morgues in iran and they have like this screen and one by one showing

350
00:36:44.110 --> 00:36:48.250
 the pictures of the people for the people to identify their loved ones and just imagine

351
00:36:48.250 --> 00:36:53.110
 putting yourself in that place about mother or that father like every picture that goes by

352
00:36:53.110 --> 00:36:57.230
 they're like is the next one going to be mine or like in a lot of areas they're just

353
00:36:57.230 --> 00:37:01.390
 they have the bodies on the ground they're like go and look for them so one by one they

354
00:37:01.390 --> 00:37:07.440
 have to put aside these you know open these bags and see if it's their child i mean

355
00:37:08.890 --> 00:37:14.470
 even if it's not your child when you see all of that that is going to create the hatred

356
00:37:14.470 --> 00:37:20.850
 towards this regime that you have to fall this is your final this is you know the final nail

357
00:37:20.850 --> 00:37:25.350
 on your coffin and that is what we're seeing that is the message that we're getting from

358
00:37:25.350 --> 00:37:30.670
 like right now phone calls are very limited like people some people you don't it's only

359
00:37:30.670 --> 00:37:38.170
 outbound that people can call and you can't call to iran and right now between different

360
00:37:38.170 --> 00:37:43.890
 provinces people can't call one another for the most part and sms is also shut down shut

361
00:37:43.890 --> 00:37:50.110
 up so people who have been able to reach people outside everyone the calls are very

362
00:37:50.110 --> 00:37:55.070
 short one two three minutes but one of their main messages like okay we're fine like for

363
00:37:55.070 --> 00:38:00.930
 that person they give they tell us like they're fine but we're continuing don't think that this

364
00:38:00.930 --> 00:38:07.850
 is dying away we are continuing we we're not going to let this go this time so that's the

365
00:38:07.850 --> 00:38:14.030
 message that they try to continuously give and they're like just be our voice tell the people

366
00:38:14.030 --> 00:38:19.110
 that we're not stopping we're continuing and um i think that's really important we saw like

367
00:38:19.110 --> 00:38:24.490
 on friday in zahedan uh some of the images came out of the protest or like the nightly

368
00:38:24.490 --> 00:38:32.570
 protest right now in tehran and ilam and um mashhad we're receiving those videos yes with

369
00:38:32.570 --> 00:38:38.550
 delay with one or two days delay but we are receiving those and on the other hand we had um

370
00:38:38.550 --> 00:38:45.030
 just for your audience to know like for instance from january 5th to january 15th

371
00:38:45.030 --> 00:38:50.830
 despite it was that it was the protest going on the regime had 127 people executed during these

372
00:38:50.830 --> 00:38:56.270
 days so they know that if they stop those executions even for one day

373
00:38:57.630 --> 00:39:02.690
 what it means for the regime it'll mean it's fall well that is what we're seeing right now

374
00:39:02.690 --> 00:39:08.390
 so why here's some questions though so any uprising or change has to has to start with

375
00:39:08.390 --> 00:39:14.590
 the people period you know everybody's calling for the help of not everybody but it seems like

376
00:39:14.590 --> 00:39:19.350
 oh they want the u.s involved i i'm not really sure that's really our place but here's the

377
00:39:19.350 --> 00:39:28.020
 why are we not seeing surrounding neighboring countries helping the iranian people and there's

378
00:39:28.020 --> 00:39:33.000
 two sides to that part uh just to explain about the previous i think the iranian people for the

379
00:39:33.000 --> 00:39:38.120
 most part when you speak to them they don't want like troops on the ground help but there are

380
00:39:38.120 --> 00:39:42.480
 certain things that the international community can do to help first of all i think the

381
00:39:42.480 --> 00:39:47.820
 international community can really help with the communication and not allowing the regime to

382
00:39:47.820 --> 00:39:54.940
 create such a blackout um the second is to blacklist like for instance in europe in the

383
00:39:54.940 --> 00:40:00.040
 uk blacklist the irgc they're the suppressive forces on the ground iran's economy for the

384
00:40:00.040 --> 00:40:05.420
 most part is in the hands of the irgc when it comes to the regime so that would have a major

385
00:40:05.420 --> 00:40:12.280
 effect on it it can't suppress the way it is if it is uh blacklisted the third is to hold

386
00:40:12.280 --> 00:40:17.160
 the regime accountable for these war crimes and crimes against humanity that are being

387
00:40:17.160 --> 00:40:22.520
 carried out right now it's it's not the 1980s that you say well we don't know we didn't see we

388
00:40:22.520 --> 00:40:26.720
 didn't hear about it you're seeing it you're saying you're hearing it daily do something about

389
00:40:26.720 --> 00:40:32.620
 it but the most important i think is recognize the iranian people's right to resist and to

390
00:40:32.620 --> 00:40:38.480
 fight back no i get i get that but what i'm getting i was like why is for example qatar

391
00:40:38.480 --> 00:40:44.080
 or jordan or turkey like why are these countries not helping the neighboring countries

392
00:40:44.080 --> 00:40:51.740
 i'll respond to that the neighboring countries uh unfortunately some of them um i don't think

393
00:40:51.740 --> 00:40:57.020
 they're too keen about seeing a revolution in iran because it has a message for their own people

394
00:40:57.020 --> 00:41:04.240
 too um especially the states that aren't really that democratic you know at the end of the day

395
00:41:04.240 --> 00:41:08.800
 um but also they're afraid of the iranian regime's retaliation because you have to

396
00:41:08.800 --> 00:41:13.000
 understand the iranian regime is the number one state sponsor of international terrorism

397
00:41:13.000 --> 00:41:19.500
 especially the region um they have their proxy groups they have you know they're worried about

398
00:41:21.000 --> 00:41:30.480
 the ramifications for them um if this does not lead to the overthrow of the regime um or even

399
00:41:30.480 --> 00:41:35.120
 if it does lead to the lead to the uh you know overthrow of the regime what is the regime

400
00:41:35.120 --> 00:41:41.560
 going to do in its last hour in that last minute um so they are afraid a bit and also

401
00:41:41.560 --> 00:41:48.300
 it is not necessarily to their benefit to see a you know a true revolution in iran

402
00:41:48.300 --> 00:41:55.620
 and seeing the overthrow of a dictatorship um and what that message has because iran has always

403
00:41:55.620 --> 00:42:01.060
 played a very important role geopolitically like for instance when dr masada nationalized

404
00:42:01.060 --> 00:42:06.600
 iran's oil you saw how that ripple effect that it had in the region um in egypt and

405
00:42:06.600 --> 00:42:14.480
 so that is also part of the issue i think to some extent they're afraid of the iranian

406
00:42:14.480 --> 00:42:19.100
 regime but they're also afraid of what message it has for their own people too

407
00:42:20.260 --> 00:42:28.180
 um okay i get i get i get that so but to live in fear under the thumb of iranian proxies

408
00:42:28.180 --> 00:42:31.940
 for example uh not the iranian people but you know i mean the government the regime

409
00:42:31.940 --> 00:42:38.060
 and live in fear of the potential threat of terrorist attacks against them all for the sake

410
00:42:38.060 --> 00:42:44.640
 of not recognizing a democratic state if this happens to me is quite ridiculous

411
00:42:45.720 --> 00:42:51.460
 um so they they would rather sounds like they would rather have this state of affairs

412
00:42:51.460 --> 00:42:57.980
 continue just so that they can continue to be um have their authority over their nations

413
00:42:57.980 --> 00:43:04.280
 really because they don't want to see a democratic governance i think the first one is more on the

414
00:43:04.280 --> 00:43:11.200
 fear of iran's reaction and retaliation yeah but if you take if they fall and you take it away

415
00:43:11.200 --> 00:43:14.260
 for example with everything that's going on you control the money the sanctions everything

416
00:43:14.260 --> 00:43:17.840
 that's going on as you as you said and pointed to earlier like let's not do business with

417
00:43:17.840 --> 00:43:21.660
 them anymore anywhere it's going to be hard to get everywhere to follow suit if that money

418
00:43:21.660 --> 00:43:26.900
 is turned off they cannot fund the terrorism anymore and it starts to fall apart so

419
00:43:27.500 --> 00:43:31.800
 it's just strange to me that if you look at it if you look at it from outside looking in

420
00:43:31.800 --> 00:43:36.840
 you know you look at muslims in the middle east you would you would you would expect brothers

421
00:43:36.840 --> 00:43:41.000
 and sisters to help other brothers and sisters right they could see the oppression the deaths

422
00:43:41.000 --> 00:43:45.580
 everything that's going on and yet these neighboring countries i mean even if they

423
00:43:45.580 --> 00:43:49.700
 don't do it publicly doesn't seem like they're even trying to do anything to help

424
00:43:49.700 --> 00:43:54.820
 the situation which is ridiculous and so now it's calling to the outside world to try to

425
00:43:54.820 --> 00:43:59.180
 help i don't i'm with you i don't believe that we need to put boots on the ground i think the

426
00:43:59.180 --> 00:44:04.060
 people need to rise up but we also can't ignore the situation that there is no support

427
00:44:04.560 --> 00:44:09.300
 around iran in in the neighboring countries for the for the iranian people also could the

428
00:44:09.300 --> 00:44:15.160
 iranian people believe they had to if it got too bad will they take them in see there's the

429
00:44:15.160 --> 00:44:21.700
 other part of it so it's it's like sure maybe the government's there they don't they

430
00:44:21.700 --> 00:44:24.740
 want to see a democratic they don't want to see a revolt they don't want to see

431
00:44:24.740 --> 00:44:28.320
 iran become democratic and then they fear these proxies and terrorist attacks

432
00:44:28.780 --> 00:44:33.500
 but you can't you can't continue to keep this on bottled in period it's either going to come

433
00:44:33.500 --> 00:44:37.720
 down to two things either they're going to have to support and take in refugees because

434
00:44:37.720 --> 00:44:44.380
 it could turn that way or you're going to have to step in and help and that's that's

435
00:44:44.380 --> 00:44:48.960
 just what i'm seeing that's what a lot of people see and if you want to cut off western

436
00:44:48.960 --> 00:44:54.420
 involvement altogether fine i i'm i'm for that not meaning not care or help but i'm

437
00:44:54.420 --> 00:44:58.980
 talking about militarily like i understand we shouldn't be in a war i want to see the

438
00:44:58.980 --> 00:45:05.520
 people rise up and take over but you know why why why are they're ignoring why are your

439
00:45:05.520 --> 00:45:12.320
 neighbors ignoring the plight it's gotta be that um when it comes to the refugee crisis they

440
00:45:12.320 --> 00:45:17.440
 already are dealing with this like for instance i think the only country that's like major i

441
00:45:17.440 --> 00:45:24.240
 it's more like turkey and the emirates and things like that they already there are plenty

442
00:45:24.240 --> 00:45:31.020
 of iranians who for years and generations have been leaving the country through those

443
00:45:31.760 --> 00:45:36.540
 methods so i don't think it's because it's not going to create like a new wave of

444
00:45:36.540 --> 00:45:42.620
 refugees it's what it is it's continuous and it has been happening um but i do think that

445
00:45:43.310 --> 00:45:46.070
 you have to understand they also have this

446
00:45:48.120 --> 00:45:53.380
 disbelief i guess that has formed over the decades because there have been a lot of points

447
00:45:53.380 --> 00:46:01.420
 that the world thought this regime is falling today and it didn't and that creates this

448
00:46:01.420 --> 00:46:08.820
 disbelief over time so they're like let's just see how far this goes and unfortunately

449
00:46:09.460 --> 00:46:13.700
 and letting see how far that goes the people of iran are paying that price

450
00:46:13.700 --> 00:46:17.720
 those days with their blood um so that is something that is happening because i think

451
00:46:17.720 --> 00:46:24.840
 if you look back um for those who might be a bit more informed like from 1981 there was a

452
00:46:24.840 --> 00:46:29.900
 point that everyone thought formania was going to fall and then there was that you know after

453
00:46:29.900 --> 00:46:34.760
 the eight-year war and then after that you know the operations of the national liberation army

454
00:46:34.760 --> 00:46:41.300
 back in 1988 everyone thought this regime is falling and it's finished and you know um it

455
00:46:41.300 --> 00:46:48.360
 didn't and how many had the 1988 massacre and he controlled everything again yeah that also

456
00:46:48.360 --> 00:46:58.560
 that also goes back 1999 and then 2009 and then 19 2017 19 22 today so it goes back to the

457
00:46:58.560 --> 00:47:03.560
 point that at some point people the people are going to need assistance it's obvious that the

458
00:47:03.560 --> 00:47:07.220
 themselves don't have enough resources and capabilities to overthrow this regime

459
00:47:07.220 --> 00:47:13.800
 so at what point do they they accept outside help and at what point see that that's what

460
00:47:13.800 --> 00:47:19.180
 i'm trying to trying to establish and understand is i i think it's never they've never been

461
00:47:19.180 --> 00:47:23.660
 overthrown because nobody has really stepped in to help the really help the people it's

462
00:47:23.660 --> 00:47:27.440
 obvious they can't do it on their own we're hoping that that that this is the case but

463
00:47:27.440 --> 00:47:32.500
 it's not hasn't been so would do you think in your eyes that the iranian people would

464
00:47:32.500 --> 00:47:36.640
 eventually be open to outside help to make to make this happen to overthrow the regime

465
00:47:36.640 --> 00:47:40.860
 because when you're when you're looking at it for example of course you can't fight this

466
00:47:40.860 --> 00:47:46.180
 regime when you when recently you see that they just imported 5 000 militant proxies

467
00:47:47.140 --> 00:47:52.680
 militant troops in from iraq to go into iran to help suppress the protesters even

468
00:47:52.680 --> 00:47:58.240
 further so with with with iran's reach if these if these borders if the if everything

469
00:47:58.240 --> 00:48:03.060
 was happening to where the rest of the world was helping to for example cut this off like

470
00:48:03.060 --> 00:48:06.980
 they wouldn't allow that to happen just by monitoring the situation say hold on these

471
00:48:06.980 --> 00:48:12.780
 5 000 troops we're not letting them over see so that's that's the problem not anybody is

472
00:48:12.780 --> 00:48:18.420
 really committing to being involved to help the iranian people either so it's whether it's

473
00:48:18.420 --> 00:48:23.120
 your neighbors or the outside world as much as we want to see iran free the people

474
00:48:23.120 --> 00:48:27.920
 themselves don't have the resources to really overthrow this government it's it's going to

475
00:48:27.920 --> 00:48:33.900
 take some outside influence so or or help and would they be welcome to that if they really needed

476
00:48:33.900 --> 00:48:40.160
 it that that i guess is the actual question i know i know they don't want it but will it be needed

477
00:48:42.120 --> 00:48:48.300
 um i think that based on the what we're seeing on the ground and unfortunately a lot of it

478
00:48:48.300 --> 00:48:53.300
 maybe we can't publicly announce or state speak about but based on what we're seeing

479
00:48:53.300 --> 00:48:58.960
 on the ground the people do have the capability to bring about the change um and they will be

480
00:48:59.540 --> 00:49:07.540
 like as i said using the the mechanisms and the things that the regime has itself

481
00:49:08.220 --> 00:49:12.740
 but taking it away from the regime and using it against it so things like that will be

482
00:49:12.740 --> 00:49:19.580
 happening um when when that time comes and i think that the people have that

483
00:49:19.580 --> 00:49:26.900
 possibility but i think that when it comes to international support i think that

484
00:49:26.900 --> 00:49:34.300
 if the iranian regime does not receive aid from the countries it can be overthrown but the

485
00:49:34.300 --> 00:49:39.800
 problem right till today the problem has been even those countries who are giving words of

486
00:49:39.800 --> 00:49:44.440
 condemnation but behind them behind the scenes that they're doing other you know they're

487
00:49:44.440 --> 00:49:48.660
 negotiating with this regime they're selling gets good like right now all of the systems

488
00:49:48.660 --> 00:49:55.800
 are being used for surveillance and i face recognition and all of that it's being sold

489
00:49:55.800 --> 00:50:00.120
 to the iranian regime mostly by european countries they know what it's going to be

490
00:50:00.120 --> 00:50:05.560
 used for but they still do it so cut those things off we can create we can create change

491
00:50:05.560 --> 00:50:10.360
 ourselves that is the problem that we have just look at like for instance germany for one

492
00:50:10.360 --> 00:50:17.440
 knows that they i think the most cranes sold to iran are from germany based on like the

493
00:50:17.440 --> 00:50:23.240
 that i remember they know it's going to be used for execution but they still still sell it so stop

494
00:50:23.810 --> 00:50:29.880
 you know these are little they might seem like little things it's but look right now how how

495
00:50:29.880 --> 00:50:35.900
 is iran obtaining all these technologies it's mostly from european countries i think right now

496
00:50:35.900 --> 00:50:42.940
 iran has maybe support from russia right because look iran is a lot in a lot weaker

497
00:50:42.940 --> 00:50:50.180
 position than it was even last year hezbollah has fallen if they this time they brought in 5,000

498
00:50:50.180 --> 00:50:57.380
 proxies um and i remember specifically at least in 2009 that they had brought in 20,000

499
00:50:57.380 --> 00:51:03.100
 only from hezbollah aside from what they brought in from iraq back then for suppressing the

500
00:51:03.100 --> 00:51:09.220
 uprisings so the regime doesn't have that power that it used to to be able to utilize

501
00:51:09.220 --> 00:51:17.860
 proxies or even to be able to gain have support from russia and syria and whatnot because

502
00:51:17.860 --> 00:51:23.140
 russia is four years of war right now they they have their plate full they don't really want

503
00:51:23.140 --> 00:51:28.040
 to get it i don't think they don't they want to get involved in here um china at the end

504
00:51:28.040 --> 00:51:33.020
 of the day it's not really a life-changing matter for it for the regime to stay in power

505
00:51:33.020 --> 00:51:36.880
 or not so i don't think they would get themselves in line the regime doesn't have

506
00:51:36.880 --> 00:51:42.860
 backings that it used to have in the region so that's really important that's what has weakened

507
00:51:42.860 --> 00:51:48.300
 the regime to a great extent because it doesn't have the proxies it used to it doesn't have that

508
00:51:48.300 --> 00:51:52.760
 possibility that it used to to use for suppression but right now at this point

509
00:51:52.760 --> 00:51:58.000
 what's really important is the iranian people look we're not asking for troops on the ground

510
00:51:58.000 --> 00:52:04.480
 but we are asking for a firm policy on iran we have no problem i mean please do more but

511
00:52:04.480 --> 00:52:11.480
 now why is like um actually i think there's a tweet from mrs metzola from a few days or two

512
00:52:11.480 --> 00:52:17.520
 three days ago that she stated look right now we are raising the issue of blacklisting the irgc

513
00:52:17.520 --> 00:52:23.560
 but there are certain countries in europe who are preventing it and she named like italy france

514
00:52:23.560 --> 00:52:29.960
 and another country that i just um i've forgotten what which one but you know what these

515
00:52:29.960 --> 00:52:35.020
 countries may be saying in words that we support the iranian people we stand by you

516
00:52:35.020 --> 00:52:39.680
 but in action they're giving you green light to the regime when they drag their feet on

517
00:52:39.680 --> 00:52:45.560
 blacklisting the irgc the regime gets these messages it understands like okay so look

518
00:52:46.200 --> 00:52:51.080
 they don't have a problem if i like because look at the statements you have to read

519
00:52:51.080 --> 00:52:56.900
 between the lines a bit too we support the peaceful protesters in the streets so if these

520
00:52:56.900 --> 00:53:01.460
 protesters have to take up arms to support to protect themselves you don't support them

521
00:53:01.460 --> 00:53:06.040
 anymore so there is that's what the regime is saying they're like we are dealing with those

522
00:53:06.040 --> 00:53:12.920
 who are creating um chaos on our streets and using terrorism or whatnot so that's why we're

523
00:53:12.920 --> 00:53:18.280
 killing today the iranian regime's official gave his statement saying yes we have killed

524
00:53:18.280 --> 00:53:26.480
 5 000 people in the streets i saw that 344 000 wounded but so where is the international

525
00:53:26.480 --> 00:53:31.820
 reaction that's what we want to see that's all we're asking for we're not asking for

526
00:53:31.820 --> 00:53:36.720
 anything else and i think that the people really what we see on the grounds they do

527
00:53:36.720 --> 00:53:42.400
 have that possibility to be able to create you know to overthrow this regime they just

528
00:53:42.400 --> 00:53:48.660
 want to seize firm policy towards the regime and for governments to stop

529
00:53:49.960 --> 00:53:54.240
 indirectly even if it's not direct indirectly supporting the regime

530
00:53:55.440 --> 00:54:02.600
 i i think the response is there i just think people are afraid um as you said earlier i mean

531
00:54:02.600 --> 00:54:07.900
 in this case though entering into a larger more complex war that involves more nations

532
00:54:09.340 --> 00:54:15.000
 because that's always been the issue with iran when it comes to foreign interest and reactions i

533
00:54:15.000 --> 00:54:20.120
 mean and i agree with you what you said because i just talked to another person about this

534
00:54:20.120 --> 00:54:26.460
 yesterday um about iran what's happening and she she had the same viewpoint and i agree

535
00:54:26.460 --> 00:54:32.440
 with both of you like the policy has to be clear you know cut off all ties in business

536
00:54:32.440 --> 00:54:37.300
 with iran or with with this regime that's the only way like you got to bleed them dry in

537
00:54:37.300 --> 00:54:41.700
 terms of the money so they can no longer continue to operate and that's the problem that we saw

538
00:54:41.700 --> 00:54:45.740
 with um you know we had a discussion about sanctions i argue sanctions don't work i mean

539
00:54:45.740 --> 00:54:50.100
 if you look at it what would happen with russia for example with sanctions they found a way to

540
00:54:50.100 --> 00:54:53.520
 do business with india they have they found a way to do business with china and other

541
00:54:53.520 --> 00:54:59.080
 places and then bricks is created iran has some ties to that as well and while russia may be

542
00:54:59.080 --> 00:55:04.780
 weakened for example you think that they are occupied with ukraine don't underestimate russia

543
00:55:04.780 --> 00:55:08.960
 and their eye on how they want to control the region either they've tried many many many many

544
00:55:08.960 --> 00:55:13.880
 times over the years um and if they're weak enough who knows if russia doesn't step in

545
00:55:14.300 --> 00:55:19.780
 um they may not want to be split in terms of their attention for example between ukraine was

546
00:55:19.780 --> 00:55:22.960
 happening in the middle east but i still wouldn't count them out they've been very

547
00:55:22.960 --> 00:55:25.760
 they've been very clear over the years about their involvement and what they want to do

548
00:55:26.540 --> 00:55:32.160
 and they've always kept a relationship with iran however they could so i wouldn't count

549
00:55:32.160 --> 00:55:37.360
 them out and they are supporting each other both the regime and russia with technologies and

550
00:55:37.360 --> 00:55:43.780
 weaponry going back and forth so again it's not there yet i agree that russia's not ready to

551
00:55:43.780 --> 00:55:48.960
 step in but i think if the opportunity was right and they were weakened enough russia

552
00:55:48.960 --> 00:55:55.520
 could use it as leverage to gain even further power and uh favor from the regime to prop them

553
00:55:55.520 --> 00:56:01.100
 back up and maybe even again gain more favors from from the uh regime themselves and that

554
00:56:01.100 --> 00:56:06.740
 could be dangerous so let's hope that doesn't happen yeah i mean that is always a possibility

555
00:56:06.740 --> 00:56:14.060
 but uh i think from based on what we saw last year in regards to syria um till till now russia

556
00:56:14.060 --> 00:56:21.060
 was you know one of the main backers of russia has had but when they they didn't support him

557
00:56:21.060 --> 00:56:26.320
 in the final weeks they they supported him by taking him in but um well because there was

558
00:56:26.320 --> 00:56:30.660
 no value anymore that's why there's no value anymore at that point it's like they're not

559
00:56:30.660 --> 00:56:36.340
 russia is not going to step in and try to get into another long drawn out war between the people to

560
00:56:36.340 --> 00:56:41.640
 prop up a dictator when at that point it didn't make any sense anymore so that's why they took

561
00:56:41.640 --> 00:56:45.720
 them in it wasn't it wasn't because they didn't have an interest it's just like it wasn't worth

562
00:56:45.720 --> 00:56:50.280
 the cost at that point i think that with the iranian regime it might be also the same thing

563
00:56:50.280 --> 00:56:55.080
 i mean when they see well and i hope you're right you have to also consider like iran's

564
00:56:55.900 --> 00:57:01.160
 Iran is very you know extensive compared to even iraq and syria and all of these countries

565
00:57:01.160 --> 00:57:10.480
 so that also comes into play um so it is a different circumstances i think um but i think that

566
00:57:11.660 --> 00:57:18.180
 what about the u.s though sets aside iran from others is maybe the fact that there is a

567
00:57:18.180 --> 00:57:24.340
 organized resistance right what about the u.s do you think that makes the change there is

568
00:57:24.340 --> 00:57:30.120
 organized resistance and it's something that has proven that you know gone through the test of time

569
00:57:30.120 --> 00:57:35.100
 with over you know the national council of resistance everyone was formed 44 years ago and

570
00:57:35.100 --> 00:57:39.400
 so it's not just on paper they've proven what they stand for in action and what they

571
00:57:39.400 --> 00:57:46.860
 they represent and i think that gives both hope to people inside of the iran that they know

572
00:57:46.860 --> 00:57:51.700
 you know what they're getting themselves into what is what are the possibilities but also

573
00:57:51.700 --> 00:57:57.700
 um for the international community it's not like iran is going to enter like okay because

574
00:57:57.700 --> 00:58:02.220
 you hear these scenarios and it's just doesn't make sense with the iranian scenario the

575
00:58:02.220 --> 00:58:07.660
 reality is but it is something that is thrown out there like the scenarios of you know civil

576
00:58:07.660 --> 00:58:12.600
 war and chaos or whatever is going to break up that's not going to be the case that's it

577
00:58:12.600 --> 00:58:19.360
 doesn't match iran's history it doesn't match its people and like the the culture and what

578
00:58:19.360 --> 00:58:24.460
 understanding that they have among one another we've had this diversity in iran for thousands

579
00:58:24.460 --> 00:58:28.540
 and thousands of years and that's never been a problem for the people they consider them

580
00:58:28.540 --> 00:58:33.700
 since iranian before anything else but also the fact that there is an organized resistance that

581
00:58:33.700 --> 00:58:42.900
 has a clear roadmap has a plan of action and they've shown that they stand by their

582
00:58:42.900 --> 00:58:48.860
 principles even in times that it might not be the most popular but over time it's been

583
00:58:48.860 --> 00:58:59.780
 that they were right so i think that serves um as a great aspect or angle or a great asset

584
00:58:59.780 --> 00:59:04.940
 that iran has that maybe a lot of the other countries that we speak about when it comes to

585
00:59:04.940 --> 00:59:11.600
 you know revolutions or whatever have not had or uprisings and overthrows you're right so

586
00:59:12.360 --> 00:59:17.480
 um i'm going to go back i was wanted to get your answer on this what you thought though

587
00:59:17.480 --> 00:59:22.880
 about the u.s and what is your opinion on trump's statements recently when it comes to iran and

588
00:59:22.880 --> 00:59:32.660
 wanted to help uh what's your thoughts on that well um i think that iranians were relieved a bit

589
00:59:32.660 --> 00:59:41.260
 to see um for once that there's a government in power that isn't um after extending their

590
00:59:41.990 --> 00:59:48.650
 name during these times but the reality is that i think that anyone who understands

591
00:59:49.880 --> 00:59:57.400
 the policies that president trump has presented in these past few years he's not after he's not

592
00:59:57.400 --> 01:00:04.340
 looking for a you know any kind of foreign intervention like or anything like that because

593
01:00:04.340 --> 01:00:12.520
 that's what he actually presents himself to be opposed to that you know not using u.s

594
01:00:12.520 --> 01:00:18.240
 resources and troops on the ground or whatnot but i think a firm policy is important and

595
01:00:18.240 --> 01:00:28.100
 that's what people were looking for um there are those who because um to be honest like for

596
01:00:28.100 --> 01:00:33.780
 instance you see there is factions of like iranians or maybe even other foreign interests

597
01:00:33.780 --> 01:00:41.020
 that present themselves in this scenario um who tries to they want to see like for you know the

598
01:00:41.020 --> 01:00:46.280
 u.s getting involved because at the end of the day they know that's the only way they could get

599
01:00:46.860 --> 01:00:55.670
 their um their interests met and if we in it in the future iran to be able to have some kind

600
01:00:55.670 --> 01:01:01.610
 of a public government to be able to have someone who would be have you know uh these

601
01:01:01.610 --> 01:01:07.870
 that they owe something to these western powers because now they're in power and whatnot so i

602
01:01:07.870 --> 01:01:11.910
 think that that's something that iranians don't really want because we have that experience

603
01:01:11.910 --> 01:01:16.950
 just look in the last hundred years reza pahlavi was brought in by the british mama

604
01:01:16.950 --> 01:01:22.110
 reza pahlavi was brought in by the u.s and the british and khomeini was brought in by

605
01:01:22.110 --> 01:01:27.230
 foreign western powers at the time because it was a cold war they saw ussr they saw

606
01:01:27.230 --> 01:01:33.990
 a fundamentalist and they thought well he he will stand in front of the u.s so it's to our benefit

607
01:01:33.990 --> 01:01:40.450
 to have him instead of those actually revolutionary groups who had created the revolution at that

608
01:01:40.450 --> 01:01:46.670
 point and so he was brought in from france from after the guadalupe conference um and

609
01:01:46.670 --> 01:01:51.290
 so the people have that experience they just don't want to repeat it again they want to

610
01:01:51.290 --> 01:01:55.790
 be able to take destiny into their own hands and to be able to form a actual democratic

611
01:01:55.790 --> 01:02:03.430
 secular republic um for them these are three key elements um secularism as you said separation

612
01:02:03.430 --> 01:02:09.610
 of religion and state um having in public so there's people's sovereignty and in democracy

613
01:02:09.610 --> 01:02:16.490
 where everyone will be you know their rights will be um safeguarded and no matter

614
01:02:17.170 --> 01:02:24.270
 who you are or from what ethnic background or what political leniency um people want to

615
01:02:24.270 --> 01:02:29.750
 or your gender or whatnot they want to be able to finally have a democracy and to be

616
01:02:29.750 --> 01:02:35.810
 able to actually breathe live um i think it's not too much to ask for but uh it does come

617
01:02:35.810 --> 01:02:39.670
 with a high price unfortunately but we're willing to pay the price and that's what we're

618
01:02:39.670 --> 01:02:44.910
 seeing on the ground right now inside of iran and the iranian resistance is also willing to

619
01:02:44.910 --> 01:02:52.950
 pay that price and they've stood 120 000 people have died for this cause um but we're

620
01:02:52.950 --> 01:02:57.890
 willing to give up you know everything in our lives to make sure that we reach that final

621
01:02:57.890 --> 01:03:06.970
 destination which is a free democratic republic in iran um i i think that the

622
01:03:08.030 --> 01:03:14.030
 what you said is something people need to pay attention to and here's the thing i personally if

623
01:03:14.030 --> 01:03:16.690
 you're going to ask me i don't think the west needs to be involved in the middle east at

624
01:03:16.690 --> 01:03:21.050
 all i think you over there it's a completely different culture different way of doing things

625
01:03:21.950 --> 01:03:28.230
 all over i believe they should all handle their own issues personally i believe the west should

626
01:03:28.230 --> 01:03:33.370
 have relationships as you know any nation would you know depending on trade and bartering whatever

627
01:03:33.370 --> 01:03:38.390
 it is but i don't think we should be involved the us france any of them you know if you need

628
01:03:38.390 --> 01:03:42.530
 help that's one thing that's reaching out and asking and then you know we'll figure it out

629
01:03:42.530 --> 01:03:48.270
 but i don't think we should just be stepping in i think iran needs to become iran they need

630
01:03:48.270 --> 01:03:53.850
 their own nation free able to rule themselves um and i think that goes for anywhere in the

631
01:03:53.850 --> 01:03:58.310
 middle east personally that's just my opinion but you know that's that would be the goal

632
01:03:58.310 --> 01:04:01.730
 that's what i would like to see and honestly a lot of americans want to see that we're

633
01:04:01.730 --> 01:04:07.010
 all tired of being like we should not be there if we're not needed we really shouldn't

634
01:04:07.010 --> 01:04:12.090
 you're not asking i don't know why we're there so but if the help is needed i also say

635
01:04:12.090 --> 01:04:17.050
 hey you know great you tell us how you want it how you want us involved and you know we'll

636
01:04:17.050 --> 01:04:21.990
 come to that agreement but yeah i'm with you i don't believe we need to insert ourselves

637
01:04:21.990 --> 01:04:28.710
 we don't need to westernize the middle east whatsoever you know you have your traditions

638
01:04:28.710 --> 01:04:32.090
 you have your way of doing things you have your culture i mean you should have that

639
01:04:32.090 --> 01:04:38.680
 period shouldn't be forced to become what you're not i agree and i think that we also have to

640
01:04:39.720 --> 01:04:45.080
 take into consideration how the regime can manipulate things i think manipulation is a

641
01:04:45.740 --> 01:04:51.600
 game player right now in this uprising it has been from day one of it the different narratives

642
01:04:51.600 --> 01:04:57.860
 that are being fed in the media and from different outlets they really are flooding

643
01:04:57.860 --> 01:05:03.340
 the waters and unfortunately it is taking away from the main concentration which should be the

644
01:05:03.340 --> 01:05:09.280
 overthrow of this regime but the iranian regime also utilizes these things like for instance

645
01:05:09.280 --> 01:05:14.320
 you know that's also i don't think that scenario is true when it comes to iran but

646
01:05:14.320 --> 01:05:18.460
 the thing about rallying around the flag once there's you know foreign enemy

647
01:05:19.500 --> 01:05:25.760
 i don't think when with iranians that is they don't rally around the flag of the iranian

648
01:05:25.760 --> 01:05:31.480
 regime under any circumstances but they don't want to see their country be you know attacked

649
01:05:31.480 --> 01:05:36.680
 by anyone else or something like that they they have i mean it's your country at the end of

650
01:05:36.680 --> 01:05:41.040
 the day you don't want to see that you want but they do want to see that change and there

651
01:05:41.040 --> 01:05:48.600
 might be questions i mean no one can perceive the future so we have i mean it's something

652
01:05:48.600 --> 01:05:54.380
 that we have to go step by step step by step and see where it goes but i think what's important

653
01:05:54.380 --> 01:05:59.540
 is to have that strategy in place and you know know that you know this is the direction

654
01:05:59.540 --> 01:06:04.340
 we're going in and why it is that we need to go into this direction under having that

655
01:06:04.340 --> 01:06:09.540
 understanding of you know how these different elements can come into play the effects that

656
01:06:09.540 --> 01:06:14.140
 have positive or negative that really gives you direction to be able to

657
01:06:14.140 --> 01:06:18.240
 guide through these different obstacles that we're going to face along the way

658
01:06:19.420 --> 01:06:28.640
 but i think as i said the key is that there is a organized resistance it's really important

659
01:06:28.640 --> 01:06:37.400
 for it to be recognized and for people to be able to you know be able to really concentrate

660
01:06:37.400 --> 01:06:43.240
 on their fight against the regime instead of having to fight you know the disinformation and

661
01:06:43.240 --> 01:06:47.340
 the you know different narratives that are being fed and to really be able to keep that

662
01:06:47.340 --> 01:06:51.880
 concentration on the people of iran and what is happening on the ground i think at the end of

663
01:06:51.880 --> 01:06:58.460
 the day what happens on the ground is what talks that's what we need to pay attention to

664
01:06:58.460 --> 01:07:06.580
 anything else you want to say in regards to this situation just monitoring the time because

665
01:07:06.580 --> 01:07:11.540
 you're in paris so you're well ahead of me is there anything else you want to say

666
01:07:11.540 --> 01:07:15.640
 regarding the situation or anything you want to offer to those of us in the west that we should

667
01:07:16.720 --> 01:07:21.380
 know um yeah and i would like to share like a call to action i guess for those who are

668
01:07:21.380 --> 01:07:25.480
 watching who want to do something and want to be of help to the Armenian people

669
01:07:25.480 --> 01:07:31.880
 um i think if you can um first of all reach out to your lawmakers and make the request

670
01:07:31.880 --> 01:07:42.300
 we stated one if you're in europe in the uk blacklist the IRGC to um support the organized

671
01:07:42.300 --> 01:07:48.640
 resistance um represented by the national council of resistance of iran and messiah majabi but most

672
01:07:48.640 --> 01:07:56.240
 importantly um recognize the Iranian people's right to resist in the face of the dictatorship

673
01:07:56.240 --> 01:08:01.240
 ruling iran and hold the regime accountable for its crimes against humanity and war crimes

674
01:08:01.240 --> 01:08:07.940
 are being committed these days as we speak um those are very key if you would like to be

675
01:08:07.940 --> 01:08:13.100
 active um there are a lot of demonstrations rallies events that are being held by the

676
01:08:13.100 --> 01:08:17.500
 iranian diaspora in different countries if you're in the us you could reach out to oh yak

677
01:08:17.500 --> 01:08:23.020
 it's organization of iranian american communities it could put you in contact with um their

678
01:08:23.020 --> 01:08:28.859
 activists on the ground in different cities and states in the us in europe you could also

679
01:08:29.779 --> 01:08:38.720
 iranfreedom.org and they can put you in contact with those who um are organizing here um in europe

680
01:08:38.720 --> 01:08:44.880
 on the 7th of february there's huge rally going on in berlin uh in support of the contest for

681
01:08:44.880 --> 01:08:51.140
 those who might be tuning in and hearing this from germany um also if you want to receive

682
01:08:51.140 --> 01:08:58.840
 the latest news on what is actually happening in the uprising visit ncr-iron.org

683
01:08:58.859 --> 01:09:09.220
 or maam uh m-a-r-y-a-n dash raja r-a-j-a-b-i dot com um to learn more about the resistance thank

684
01:09:09.220 --> 01:09:12.200
 you very much for having me and it was a pleasure to be with you and hopefully we'll

685
01:09:12.200 --> 01:09:19.640
 be able to invite you to a free run very soon devils hide behind redemption honesty is a

686
01:09:19.640 --> 01:09:21.319
 one-way gate to hell