As the dust settles from US and Israeli air strikes on Iran in recent weeks, where does the Islamic Republic go from here? What is the strategy when faced with an unpredictable president like Donald Trump and an even more emboldened Israel? Will Iran now be vying for its own nukes? Mehdi talks to a former Iranian diplomat to get the answers.
“If the US continues [hostilities], I think this would be a lesson from Americans to Iranians: go ahead, make a nuclear bomb,” says Seyed Mousavian, a former diplomat who served as Iran’s Ambassador to Germany and the spokesperson for Iran’s nuclear negotiating team, among other roles. Mousavian is now a Visiting Research Collaborator at Princeton University, and he joins Zeteo’s Town Hall Q&A to answer questions from Mehdi and paid subscribers on Iran's past, present, and future.
Mehdi begins by asking Mousavian about Iran’s uranium stockpile and whether increasing enrichment to 60%, which is a significant step towards 90% weapons-grade enrichment, was ultimately a bad bargaining chip with the US. Mehdi also asks how worried Mousavian is about the possible assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and the effects chants like “Death to America” can have on future negotiations.
“This is really mutual wording,” says Mousavian. “Americans, always, they have used the same language: Rogue state… terrorist state, and recently… the most dangerous country in the world. I mean, they are using the same language against each other. They should stop, both.” Despite the bitter words - and missiles - exchanged, Mousavian still believes there is a chance for reconciliation as long as Donald Trump agrees to a “balanced and fair deal based on international rules and regulations within the framework of NPT.”
Meanwhile, Zeteo subscribers joined the call with their own questions at the ready: Did Trump’s ceasefire announcement mean Israel was “begging for it”? Does Iran still want to be a part of the NPT? Will Iran continue to stand with the Palestinians? What about the Iran-backed militias in the Arab world? And much more!
Paid subscribers can watch the full video above to hear Mousavian’s insight into the Iranian perspective of this war.
Free subscribers can watch a 5-minute preview. Do consider becoming a paid subscriber to Zeteo and never hitting another paywall again.
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