Tommaso Alessandro De Filippo: Does the current protest movement in Iran differ in fundamental ways from prior ones?
Daniel Pipes: Yes, it does. No other protest since 1979 has continued for so long or been so widely supported. It also has key constituencies – Kurds and women – that add to its impact.
TADF: Does the Iranian regime still enjoy a solid position of power or might it collapse?
DP: The regime will likely survive. A counter-revolution needs leadership, which this one lacks. That many of the regime’s top leaders helped to overthrow the shah means they have first-hand insights into suppressing their opponents.
A counter-revolution needs leadership, which this one lacks.
TADF: Do you agree with the Biden administration’s approach to Iran or should it support the anti-regime protests more?
DP: It should do more. At least Biden has improved somewhat on Obama’s response in 2009, when the president, in an effort to reach a nuclear deal with Tehran, basically said nothing in support of the protests. But Biden’s response is feeble. Now is the moment to declare that the U.S. government seeks a change of regime in Iran and that it will help those working toward such a change.
I cannot imagine a Democrat attacking Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
TADF: Will the Iranian nuclear buildup lead to a military intervention by either Israel or the United States?
DP: I cannot imagine a Democrat attacking Iran’s nuclear infrastructure; a Republican, possibly would do so. If not, Israel is likely to attack it.
TADF: Are NATO countries supporting Ukraine sufficiently? If not, what more can they do?
DP: NATO countries (with the exception of Hungary and Türkiye) have been superb in terms of adopting a unified stance, taking in refugees, freezing Russian assets, cutting off commercial ties, reducing energy dependence, funding Ukrainian governme
