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The Fourcast

‘They put me in jail’: the interview you rarely hear from inside Iran

6/5/202634 min

Donald Trump says he’d be “honoured” to meet the new supreme leader of Iran Mojtaba Khamenei as there’s little sign of progress in peace talks between Tehran and Washington. 

So what do the people in Iran really feel about the US president, the war and their Islamic regime that has ruled for almost half a century? 

Krishnan Guru-Murthy has travelled to Iran, speaking to supporters of the regime and, in a rare interview, one of its most prominent critics.

Sadegh Zibakalam is an Iranian academic and author who has spent years calling for reform of the Islamic Republic. He has been jailed, removed from university posts and banned from public speaking. In this episode of The Fourcast, he shares his views on Iran's leadership, its future, and its relationship with the West.

Clips

Khamenei Gone, Moderates Emerge
Nukes Mean 40 Million Dead
Overnight Comes Dictatorship
Who Actually Wants War?
Echoing Economic Disaster

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Sadegh Zibakalam· Guest0:00

    Reform comes gradually. Democracy comes gradually. It doesn't come overnight. Overnight comes dictatorship.

  2. Krishnan Guru-Murthy· Host0:08

    You have been jailed in the past for the things you have said.

  3. Sadegh Zibakalam· Guest0:11

    Many hardliners don't like me.

  4. Krishnan Guru-Murthy· Host0:13

    Well, I'm not surprised.

  5. Sadegh Zibakalam· Guest0:15

    You're only free to [laughs] go onto the street as long as you do support the government. If you are against the government, no, no.

  6. Krishnan Guru-Murthy· Host0:22

    So what's your advice, then, to the Western powers, to Trump? What should he be doing?

  7. Sadegh Zibakalam· Guest0:26

    You cannot overthrow the Islamic regime, so the best way is...

  8. Krishnan Guru-Murthy· Host0:31

    Hello, and welcome to The Forecast. We are coming to you from Tehran, where we have been allowed for a short visit to broadcast the news and gather as much, uh, news and opinion as we possibly can at this critical time where we are waiting to see whether Donald Trump's promises of a deal between Washington and Tehran will come to anything. Um, joining me for this edition is Professor Sadegh Zibakalam, who has contributed to Channel 4 News over many years.

  9. Sadegh Zibakalam· Guest1:07

    Yes.

  10. Krishnan Guru-Murthy· Host1:07

    Uh, and we spoke the last time we were here. Thank you very much for joining us.

  11. Sadegh Zibakalam· Guest1:10

    You're welcome.

  12. Krishnan Guru-Murthy· Host1:11

    How would you assess the situation at the moment in terms of the peace process?

  13. Sadegh Zibakalam· Guest1:16

    Um, [laughs] let me begin by saying that, um, everywhere you go nowadays, before they say salaam alaikum, they would ask you, "What's the latest? Have you heard anything?

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