The condition of Khamenei's son: "Important mainly on a declarative and symbolic level"
Dr. Tamar Eilam Gindin spoke with Prof. Aryeh Eldad and Ron Koffman about the internal situation in Iran and the condition of Mojtaba Khamenei. According to her, the question of his condition is important only on a declarative level: "Suppose he is alive - he is not the one making the decisions."
Expert on the Iranian arena from the Azri Center at the University of Haifa, Dr. Tamar Eilam Gindin, spoke with Prof. Aryeh Eldad and Ron Koffman on 103fm. The two discussed the internal situation in Iran, as well as the condition of Mojtaba Khamenei.
Initially, Eilam Gindin stated that the question of the condition of Khamenei's son is "important mainly on a declarative and symbolic level." According to her:
"It could be that he has turned to ash, but let's assume he is alive. He is not the one making the decisions for himself because the Revolutionary Guards do not let him appear in order to maintain his security."
At the same time, she points to the sense of excessive self-confidence that is reflected in the Iranian position in the negotiations. "According to the narrative of the Islamic Republic itself, they are in a state of insane hubris. They claim that the United States is deterred: 'We have won. We have turned from a player that no one counts into an international player that everyone is begging to open the Strait of Hormuz.'"
According to her, the Iranians believe that Israel and the United States are deterred by them, especially after security events in which Israel did not respond with the force that was expected of it, which gives them a "sense of capability and a sense of power."
Iran, as always, is not rushing anywhere. "Part of the goal in the negotiations is to stall for time. The negotiations are a kind of struggle," said Eilam Gindin. She estimates that the Iranians are waiting to see the results of the midterm elections, but understand that President Donald Trump will remain in his position in any case for the next two years, and therefore they are trying to "stall for time until he leaves the White House."
Outwardly, Iran is confident, but inside the country, things are brewing. "The economic situation is getting worse and worse, but apparently not enough, they are still threatening," she said. She expressed doubt that Iran would surrender due to economic pressure, but expressed cautious optimism: "The situation is a wheel that constantly keeps turning. One should not lose optimism."
