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Trump must consider terms for Iranian people in potential deal, expert warns - interview

From Jerusalem Post · (1d ago) English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A journalist and author warns that any US deal with Iran must include domestic concessions for the Iranian people to maintain trust and encourage future protests.
  • The author, who fled Iran after the 1979 revolution, shared personal experiences of the regime's human rights violations and atrocities.
  • She expressed that while early war achievements offered hope, the conflict's shifting goals and targeting of infrastructure became distressing, leaving many questioning the regime's defeatability.

As a publication deeply invested in the security and human rights landscape of the Middle East, The Jerusalem Post highlights Roya Hakakian's critical perspective on potential US-Iran negotiations. Hakakian, a firsthand witness to the Iranian regime's oppression, emphasizes that any agreement must extend beyond nuclear or missile capabilities to address the plight of the Iranian people. Her insights underscore the deep-seated desire for internal change within Iran, a sentiment often overlooked in international discourse focused solely on geopolitical or security concerns.

If US President Donald Trump reaches a deal with Iran that doesn’t include some kind of domestic concessions on behalf of the Iranian people, trust will be irreparably broken, and the masses would be reluctant to take to the streets again

— Roya HakakianStating her warning about the conditions for a potential deal between the US and Iran.

Her personal narrative, marked by the loss of family property and the imposition of oppressive social codes, provides a poignant counterpoint to the abstract discussions of diplomacy. Hakakian's experience as a founding member of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center lends significant weight to her arguments, positioning her as a crucial voice for those silenced by the regime. The Post values her perspective as it resonates with our commitment to reporting on the human cost of political decisions in the region.

It was exciting for everybody. Everybody wants to see these characters who have been responsible for hundreds of deaths and 1000s of injustices go

— Roya HakakianDescribing the initial hope felt during the early days of the war, inspired by Israeli and American achievements.

The author's reflections on the recent conflict, moving from initial hope to distress as the war's objectives evolved, mirror the complex emotions felt by many observing the situation. Her concern that a deal lacking domestic concessions would leave the regime intact and discourage internal dissent is a vital point. This perspective is particularly relevant to our readership, who understand the long-term implications of such outcomes for regional stability and the aspirations of the Iranian populace.

People started to look at things as being very distressing

— Roya HakakianExplaining the shift in perception of the conflict as it continued and goals changed.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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