Academics Debate Iran’s Naval Blockade and Decision-Making

You, doctor, are an academic and represent the University of Tehran,

so do not repeat to us the narratives and lies of the politicians

and the lies of the Revolutionary Guard.

What kind of situational assessment study can you present

on the results of the economic sanctions imposed on Iran, the naval blockade?

Are there objective scientific studies that clarify the extent of the

Iranian regime’s ability to withstand these results,

the results of the naval blockade? In addition to that,

what are the decision- making methodologies

in Iranian foreign policy for the Iranian regime today? You are a professor

of international relations,

is it the rational choice method, the best choice and best alternative?

Is it the bureaucratic method,

the conflict between institutions?

Is it the psychological and cognitive method

that depends on the leader’s personality?

On which decision- making method does the regime rely in managing the process today,

other than the piracy policies it carries out in the Strait of Hormuz?

- Doctor Hassan, you

have the right to respond.- It is really shameful for you to use these words,

you are also a professor in Kuwait University,

I did not accuse you of lying.- And what disgrace?

What disgrace did I mention?- It is disgraceful to repeat these words.- Do not call

each other names.- I did not accuse you.- Doctor Hassan,

Doctor Faisal,- And I will not use that,

I will not sink to this level with you.- I did not accuse you. Dr. Hasan, Dr.

Faisal, just let me step in, maybe because of what

I understood from what the doctor said, it is just the standard,— let me explain,

I will not get into this.— that is not the intention,

It is just a point of order, maybe, and I will speak on his behalf,

he did not mean any insult or offense.

But he is asking about the standard by which you are assessing this situation,

is it through your role as a professor and academic, or, as my guest sees it,

are you repeating what the Revolutionary Guard says,

meaning there is no insult or slander in this.

— And do you know why?— Let me explain, let me explain.

— He is saying you are repeating the lies of the Revolutionary Guard.— He

judges what the Revolutionary Guard says as lies.

— Meaning you are repeating lies, that is insulting. Let me explain, let me explain,

since he said from…

The problem— let me clarify— is that at the start of his speech he said,“ I adopt

the Iranian narrative, and you are an academic. I am objective,

you must not adopt the narrative and lies of politicians, politicians lie,

but you as an academic are supposed to give an objective opinion.

That is not a flaw.

Fine, let us listen to what the doctor says. I said that I trust…

I did not accuse you personally, I did not accuse you personally. Let me speak.

Doctor Faisal, go ahead, Doctor Hassan.

I told you I trust what the Iranians say,

I do not trust what the Americans say,

it is your business if you believe the Americans. You are repeating lies.

Doctor Faisal, let us listen to what Doctor Hassan says.

The issue is that he noticed that we have had a lab for 47 years, all this happened,

everything he pointed to happened,

and it did not lead to what America wanted, this is propaganda talk, for 47

years they have not achieved anything.

Has the situation changed today, for example, for America?

Of course it has changed, the indicators have changed.

They have become, for example…

- Let me speak.- Let me speak.- Of course, destroying the oil industries

and the infrastructure of the Iranian oil industry, this is unprecedented in Iran.

Today, as we speak, the United States, the United States is trying to find a way out

through a blockade, through opening a strait,

through a change in the equation, Iran has done nothing,

Iran is biding its time, it stands

its ground and says no to the United States, there is a path to negotiation

or to war, this is not a narrative,

this is a position,- this is standing up

to...- And where— what I asked you for— where are the scientific economic studies

that show how capable the Iranian regime is of bearing the consequences of this

naval blockade? - They exist,

they exist in Iran.- Do not repeat

media talking points.- You do not read Persian, that is your problem.- All right,

let us move the discussion forward.- Do not repeat media talking points.

- Second point. Doctor Hassan, to move this discussion forward,

I will give you some time to respond because the doctor raised a number of points,

then we will move forward in this discussion.

Repeating the narrative The American one,

like there is supposedly a suffocating situation in Iran,

that Iran will fall and Iran is weak,

Iran came out of the war weak, fine,

that is the business of whoever believes that talk,

but when it comes to decision- making,

that is also an American narrative,

the focus is on disputes inside Iran, and no indicator has appeared,

I am an academic and you are an academic,

point me to a single indicator so I can believe this narrative.

The way decisions are made in Iran,

according to the Iranian constitution,

is clear: the Supreme National Security Council makes decisions through

deliberation and voting,

and the majority makes the decision, and the Leader, in most cases, supports it,

he has the constitutional right to veto the decision, and based on that,

Iran makes its decisions. This is the internal mechanism,

the method inside Iran is very clear,- so there is no ambiguity in it.- All right,

the point is clear.

- Is this an answer to my question? Is this an answer to the question?

You are explaining to me the decision- making institutions in the Iranian system?

What you are doing in the Strait of Hormuz today— what model of decision- making

does that represent? Could you repeat it? What is this…