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Unrest in Iran: More Protests in Tehran

Aired June 16, 2003 - 15:23   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: The situation remains tense in Iran's capital, where student protests are now a week old. The pro-democracy demonstrations are targeting the hard-line clerics who run the country. Middle East analyst, Rob Sobhani, joins us now. He's a founder for the Coalition of Democracy in Iran.
Rob Sobhani, we've heard from the White House, from people in the Bush administration that they are supporting these demonstrations. Is that going to help the cause of democracy or hurt it in Iran?

ROB SOBHANI, MIDDLE EAST ANALYST: I think in the long run it will help the democracy cause because the people in Iran really are looking for change beyond the government of Iran. And so when President Bush indicates that he expresses support for the people of Iran, I think that does give moral support, and I think it does help democracy.

WOODRUFF: But what about those who are saying, wait a minute, the United States is interfering, the United States is behind these demonstrations, which apparently is not the case?

SOBHANI: No. These demonstrations are homegrown. They are the result of many social economic frustrations that the people of Iran have with the government, except for the fact that some of the broadcasts are from the U.S.

WOODRUFF: But why can't the Iranian government use that as an excuse to say, now the U.S. -- we see the U.S. is somehow involved here and ust that as a reason not to lighten up?

SOBHANI: Well, the Iranian government has always used the United States as a whipping target, and we've always been accused of interfering in Iran. But this time the demonstrations are homegrown, they're against the government of Iran. And the dynamic is really not between reformers and hard-liners, it's between the people of Iran and the government of Iran.

WOODRUFF: What do you think the likelihood is that these demonstrations are going to result in real loosening buy the Iranian government?

SOBHANI: I think to the extent that there's a little more organization to the demonstrations and, more importantly, a leader to emerge. If a leader emerges from this student demonstration, people will gravitate towards that leader, who is a nationalist, who is a secularist, and who people can trust and is not part of the regime. If that leader emerges, this demonstration could escalate into something far larger.

WOODRUFF: All right. Rob Sobhani, thank you very much. And we appreciate you talking to us.

SOBHANI: Thanks a lot.

WOODRUFF: Co-founder of the Coalition for Democracy in Iran. Great to see you.

SOBHANI: Thanks.

WOODRUFF: Thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired June 16, 2003 - 15:23   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: The situation remains tense in Iran's capital, where student protests are now a week old. The pro-democracy demonstrations are targeting the hard-line clerics who run the country. Middle East analyst, Rob Sobhani, joins us now. He's a founder for the Coalition of Democracy in Iran.
Rob Sobhani, we've heard from the White House, from people in the Bush administration that they are supporting these demonstrations. Is that going to help the cause of democracy or hurt it in Iran?

ROB SOBHANI, MIDDLE EAST ANALYST: I think in the long run it will help the democracy cause because the people in Iran really are looking for change beyond the government of Iran. And so when President Bush indicates that he expresses support for the people of Iran, I think that does give moral support, and I think it does help democracy.

WOODRUFF: But what about those who are saying, wait a minute, the United States is interfering, the United States is behind these demonstrations, which apparently is not the case?

SOBHANI: No. These demonstrations are homegrown. They are the result of many social economic frustrations that the people of Iran have with the government, except for the fact that some of the broadcasts are from the U.S.

WOODRUFF: But why can't the Iranian government use that as an excuse to say, now the U.S. -- we see the U.S. is somehow involved here and ust that as a reason not to lighten up?

SOBHANI: Well, the Iranian government has always used the United States as a whipping target, and we've always been accused of interfering in Iran. But this time the demonstrations are homegrown, they're against the government of Iran. And the dynamic is really not between reformers and hard-liners, it's between the people of Iran and the government of Iran.

WOODRUFF: What do you think the likelihood is that these demonstrations are going to result in real loosening buy the Iranian government?

SOBHANI: I think to the extent that there's a little more organization to the demonstrations and, more importantly, a leader to emerge. If a leader emerges from this student demonstration, people will gravitate towards that leader, who is a nationalist, who is a secularist, and who people can trust and is not part of the regime. If that leader emerges, this demonstration could escalate into something far larger.

WOODRUFF: All right. Rob Sobhani, thank you very much. And we appreciate you talking to us.

SOBHANI: Thanks a lot.

WOODRUFF: Co-founder of the Coalition for Democracy in Iran. Great to see you.

SOBHANI: Thanks.

WOODRUFF: Thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com