1 00:00:01,639 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: Welcome back to a numbers game with Ryan Gerdusky. I 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: want to thank you all for being here another week. 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: Happy Monday. I hope you all enjoyed the last week's 4 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: episodes on the Pope and demographics. It couldn't have come 5 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: at a better time because we have a new Pope. 6 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: It's big news for all the Catholics. Last Thursday, May eighth, 7 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:25,639 Speaker 1: we elected our first American Pope. I, as a lifelong 8 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 1: cradle Catholic, never in my life believed I would ever 9 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:34,200 Speaker 1: see an American pope. A Cardinal Robert provost Is from 10 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: Chicago is our new Pope. He has taken a name 11 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,919 Speaker 1: of Poplio the fourteenth. Once again, very exciting for Catholics. 12 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: No matter how you kind of fill out on the 13 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 1: how religious you are American Catholics, it must be what 14 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: it must felt like for black Americans to see Obama 15 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: get elected. You just never thought you would see the 16 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 1: day an American Catholic would ever be. We rise the 17 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: position of the Pope. Some little facts about him to 18 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:01,319 Speaker 1: go off of last week's episode. He's considered a more 19 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: moderate pope. He is less open than Francis, but more 20 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,759 Speaker 1: of a centrist. He's not as I guess liberal as 21 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: Francis is and some doctrine stuff. He's going to be 22 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,399 Speaker 1: a headache to conservatives on issues like migration because he 23 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: championed kind of more open borders or more refugees. That's 24 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: the way most cardinals are. It's just kind of how 25 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 1: it is. It's very annoying. What is the truth? But 26 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 1: he's the value pro life he has been. He's kind 27 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: of a mixed position on gays and lesbians, being more 28 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,479 Speaker 1: open to them in the church. He's certainly more I guess, 29 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 1: right wing on that issue than Francis was. But I 30 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: think the most important thing from the managerial aspect, is 31 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: considered good with finances, and it could help desperately change 32 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 1: the shifting financial situation that the church is in, which 33 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: is pretty dire. We discussed that in the last week's 34 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: podcast on the Pope if you didn't hear about it. 35 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: He's also, by the way, there was a lot of 36 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: online chat that he's a registered Republican. He's from Illinois. 37 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: Illinois does not register people by partying. He did, however, 38 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: vote in several Republican primaries, so he's likely a Republican. 39 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: But in my personal experience, I have met many many 40 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: priests in my life, and I could count on one 41 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 1: hand how many of them were open Democrats. Usually priests 42 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: in my life i've ever met are are Republicans. Not 43 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 1: so much nuns. Nuns tend nuns, especially older nuns, tend 44 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: to be more liberal. 45 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 2: But the. 46 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 1: Priests I've always met tend to be Republicans. I've met 47 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: very few democratic priests, and so this shouldn't surprise it. 48 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: But I don't think. I think it's important not to 49 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 1: put the role of the Pope and the and what 50 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 1: he has said and what he does in the context 51 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 1: of American politics. The Church is eternal. He is the 52 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: you know, he's sitting on the throne of Saint Peter 53 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: as the victor of Christ, and he's going to do 54 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: his best to protect the church and the integrity of 55 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:58,920 Speaker 1: the Church. And I think that as a Catholic, we 56 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: should all pray for him to do the best job 57 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: that he possibly can. So it's my little spiel about 58 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 1: the Pope. And by then, also Sunday is Mother's Day. 59 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: Happy Mother's Day to my mom, who doesn't listen to 60 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 1: this podcast, but my other aunt's grandmother do so, Havy 61 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: Mother's Day to you. I hope for all the moms 62 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:17,239 Speaker 1: and grandmothers and godmothers who listens podcasts, it was all 63 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: very special for you. This one made you feel special 64 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: on Mother's Day. I want to spend some time talking 65 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:27,639 Speaker 1: about foreign policy because especially specifically an American first foreign policy, 66 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 1: because the media in this media environment we've heard, you know, 67 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: the media just it's it's like ping pong. It goes 68 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: back and forth constantly, knee jerk reaction to knee jerk 69 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 1: reaction to get people's head spinning about whatever topic is 70 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: of the moment, to either bash Trump or Elon or 71 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: you know the marilynd Man go now Salvador. Things that 72 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: don't hit people's lives as effectively as it does create narratives. 73 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: And it's very easy to crap on liberal media because 74 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 1: I mean, they have no shame. You can't you cannot 75 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 1: shame a liberal person VideA. I don't know if you, 76 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: by the way, if anyone saw this, but last week 77 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: or like late last week, Rachel Maddow was on Stephen 78 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: Colbert and these two looney tunes are sitting there with 79 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: complete straight faces, almost frowning and saying, I think this 80 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,919 Speaker 1: is like Republicans are doing what they're doing because they 81 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: don't have to worry about an election. They think they 82 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: want to end democracy, they won't worry about elections in 83 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 1: the future. It is nonsensical fear porn. It is direct 84 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 1: dopamine hits for people who are chanting up the end 85 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 1: is near and that Trump's a dictator and we're in fascism, 86 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 1: and you know, it's like seeing the guy on the 87 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: side of the road who says, like the end is 88 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: coming and he's screaming repent. Now, I always think like 89 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: those people, like what if God comes back and you know, 90 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: he says, I send you a guy with the science 91 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 1: saying and is near. You should have known its near. 92 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 1: But anyway, that's it doesn't matter. ADHD is extremely strong today. Guys. Anyway, 93 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: that was Madam and copeire totally batshit crazy statements that 94 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:10,279 Speaker 1: were utterly untrue, feeding nonsense to peoples whose brains have 95 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: become like worms, Like it is crazy. And I just 96 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: wish that like the next guest who is on the 97 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: show would have like looked at them and said, I 98 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 1: will bet you ten thousand dollars that we will hold 99 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 1: an election in eighteen months, that all of your fear 100 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 1: that you have been peddling to the American public is 101 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 1: not true. It's not going to be true. And in fact, 102 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:35,599 Speaker 1: I will spend the ten thousand dollars if I lose, 103 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 1: But you have to apologize to the audience for misdirecting 104 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 1: them if you lose. That's what I would love. It's 105 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:43,840 Speaker 1: probably not going to happen. But these people, I mean, 106 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 1: their brains have really rotted. The ones who are saying 107 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: the elections are over, it's just it's crazy. I even 108 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: saw the comedian Kathy Griffin on her podcast saying that, like, 109 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 1: you know, we should free Luigi. I mean, these people's 110 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,119 Speaker 1: brains are broken and you can't fix them. You just can't. 111 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: You have to just keep it moving and you know, 112 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: hope that the government in charge makes the right moves. 113 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 1: And you can't obssess with people in the media. But 114 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:11,479 Speaker 1: that's what everyone else does. So anyway, sorry, back to 115 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: foreign policy, which is what I was originally intending to 116 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 1: talk about. Not many people are talking about this schism 117 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: happening between the Trump administration and conservative media, and it's 118 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 1: over Iran, over the nation of Iran, and whether or 119 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 1: not Iran is in their urinium enrichment program intended to 120 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: build nuclear bombs is capable or will be capable soon, 121 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 1: and there's negotiations happening in the state of those negotiations. 122 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:44,280 Speaker 1: This has been the concern of obviously presence, dating back decades. 123 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: The benefit of being middle aged now is that I 124 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 1: can remember a quarter of a century ago when George W. 125 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 1: Bush saying an attack against Iran was on the table. 126 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:57,840 Speaker 1: This is right after the Iraq War, because they were 127 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:00,479 Speaker 1: close to getting a nuclear bomb. This is two thousand 128 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 1: and six. This is almost twenty years ago that he 129 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: said they were very close to get an nuclear bomb, 130 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: and one of his memoirs he actually said there were 131 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: plans drawn up to attack Iran and they were backed 132 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: that last minute. And under the Bomb administration, obviously we 133 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 1: had the Iran deal to temporary limit uranium enrichment in 134 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: favor of increasing their oil sales, and it had some 135 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: minimal success in some capabilities, but it continued to fund 136 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 1: their terrorist organizations throughout the world. Wasn't really going to 137 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 1: change anything, and it really emboldened the current power regime 138 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: of Iran, which is a horrific tyrannical regime. That is 139 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:40,120 Speaker 1: what real tyranny looks like. To the Rachel Meadows of 140 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:42,720 Speaker 1: the world and to the Kathy Griffins of the world, 141 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: it doesn't look like Donald Trump. It looks like Iran. Currently, 142 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: the women of Iran who have protested their government are 143 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 1: one hundred times the feminists that any of these phony 144 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:58,320 Speaker 1: pink hat wearing liberal loonies attacking Trump are anyway back 145 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 1: to Iran. Sorry, there is a substantial portion of the 146 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 1: Republican Party, especially in the media, that are actively rooting 147 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: for a military conflict with Iran. Trump picked his longtime 148 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 1: friend and fellow real estate developer Steve Wikoff to be 149 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: the Special Envoy to the Middle East, and he's actively 150 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: working on avoiding a war with Iran, trying to inc 151 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: ad deal to stop them from becoming a nuclear power. 152 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: And this has infuriated neo conservatives. The New York Post 153 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 1: President Trump's favorite paper, which regularly publishes neo conservaives, although 154 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: they have published me a few times, so I appreciate it, 155 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,559 Speaker 1: but they do publish a lot of neo conservatives. They 156 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 1: said that wik Kopff was the wrong person to try 157 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:41,200 Speaker 1: to get this deal and this agreement because he's too 158 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,479 Speaker 1: he's not willing to, you know, put a war basically 159 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 1: on the table the day prior from them publishing that, 160 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 1: which is April thirtieth, on my birthday. Douglas Murray, a 161 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,680 Speaker 1: buddy of mine who I know pretty well. He also 162 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:56,200 Speaker 1: said that he was the wrong man for the job 163 00:08:56,240 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 1: in Douglas's you know, a fairly fairly vocal neoconservative. Wickoff 164 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:03,839 Speaker 1: has had some early successes in his job, including the 165 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: release of thirty three hostages from Hamas, including two Americans, 166 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:09,719 Speaker 1: and he struck a deal with the Iranian Bakkuthis and 167 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 1: Yemen to stop attacking our ships. So things are happening. 168 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: Secretary of Rubia was very happy with the work that 169 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: he's been doing, so as President Trump and considering the 170 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,040 Speaker 1: aspect of that, I'm thirty eight years old. I have 171 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: seen this same movie for twenty five years almost, or 172 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 1: twenty years almost, where the chatter from the pro war 173 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 1: crowd is that Iran is going to develop this nuclear 174 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: weapon any day now. It's kind of like how liberals say, 175 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: like Trump, the walls are closing and it's any day now, 176 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 1: any day now, any day now. I kind of feel 177 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:44,840 Speaker 1: like any rush towards conflict is very dumb and very 178 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 1: short sighted and a war weary America is not up 179 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: for it. Any which way that we could avoid any 180 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 1: kind of military conflict while de escalating the situation is 181 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,200 Speaker 1: well worth it. But I'm not an expert in Ron. 182 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 1: I've never been there, bas looking for most America has 183 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 1: never been there. But my next guest is and he 184 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 1: can tell us more about the situation, a possible conflict, 185 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 1: and how the Iranian people feel up. Next with me 186 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: today is Shahim Gobadi. He is from the National Council 187 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: of Resistance of Iran. Thank you for being here, Shahim, 188 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: thank you for having me. Now. On Thursday, it was 189 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: discovered that Iran has another nuclear site that was previously undisclosed. 190 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 1: What can you tell my audience about the state of 191 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:33,959 Speaker 1: Iran's nuclear program as it stands today. 192 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 2: Actually, this new revelation was made by the National Council 193 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 2: of Resistance of Iran, which is the coalition of Iranian 194 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 2: democratic opposition movements like the Parliament in Exile of the Resistance. 195 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 2: We have had more than one hundred and ten revelations, 196 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 2: but various aspects of the Iran nuclear the first program 197 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 2: going back three decades, particularly in the last two decades. 198 00:10:57,800 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 2: All I can tell you is that the Iranian regime 199 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 2: is on the cost of getting nuclear weapons. What do 200 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 2: you mean by this? While the world has focused on 201 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:09,560 Speaker 2: how much in rich uranium the regime has, which is 202 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 2: enough for at least six nuclear bombs. For a nuclear bomb, 203 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 2: you need other weaponization and also delivery system basically warheads 204 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,080 Speaker 2: to be carried by ballistic missiles. And the point of 205 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 2: the matter is that the regime has worked on the 206 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 2: other two aspects very much diligently and concurrently with the enrichment. 207 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 2: So they have the rich uranium, they are working on vaponization, 208 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 2: they're working on delivery system. Actually today if you reveal 209 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 2: another side which has been unknown before, working in tandem 210 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 2: with this ballistic missile program for nuclear warheads. So the 211 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 2: regime has been working very hard to this, and particularly 212 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 2: in the last year and a half or two that 213 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 2: it has been much weaker at home and has been 214 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 2: much weaker in the region. You have relied more on 215 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:05,079 Speaker 2: acquired nuclear weapons as the guarant tour for their survival. 216 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: Now, so I am thirty eight years old, and for 217 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: the last since I was about fourteen, about a quarter 218 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:16,520 Speaker 1: of a century, I have heard that Iran is within 219 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 1: days of getting a nuclear weapon since the Iraq War. Essentially, 220 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: the drum beat for a war with Iran has been 221 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 1: very real. It's been championed by a number of American 222 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:30,559 Speaker 1: politicians going back to the Bush administration, and it's never 223 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: come to fruition. So how how much can we rely 224 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,719 Speaker 1: on the evidence that Iran is very close to a 225 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: nuclear webon this time? 226 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,439 Speaker 2: Well, you have to bear in mind that we are 227 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 2: the movement. As I said, I suppose the Hidian secret 228 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 2: nuclear facilities, most enrichment in Natans back in two thousand 229 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:55,840 Speaker 2: and two, prolutonium site again in two thousand and two, 230 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 2: many many research sites, many many scientists, and this is 231 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:03,560 Speaker 2: based on people on the ground, what they call human intelligence. 232 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 2: And according to Los Alamos Research, more than ninety five 233 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:12,440 Speaker 2: percent of the NCIL revelations have been corroborated one wey 234 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 2: or the other. The fact of the matter is, we 235 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 2: never ever advocated for a war a year on. We 236 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:23,800 Speaker 2: do not believe the solution is a military solution. Rather, 237 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:26,839 Speaker 2: from the day one, all they have asked for is 238 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 2: a solid policy. You know what the problem has been 239 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 2: in the last twenty four years that you refer to, 240 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 2: Actually the time you're referring to is exactly August fourteen, 241 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 2: two thousand and two, that my very colleague whould the 242 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 2: press conference today, held a press conference in the middle 243 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:44,720 Speaker 2: of summer in Washington, and at that time nobody wanted 244 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 2: to believe Iran has a new crear program. Then when 245 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 2: the IA went there they saw it, then they start 246 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 2: believing it. All we always ask for is a robust policy. 247 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,319 Speaker 2: What was a robust policy. Robost policy is holding regime 248 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 2: accountable for its nefarious conduct, to impose tough sanctions on 249 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 2: the region, to prevent it from the means to advocate 250 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 2: and advance this nuclear weapons program, and to recognize the 251 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 2: right of the Union people and the resistance to being 252 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 2: about the regime change by themselves. But what happened in 253 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 2: reality administration after administration, and I don't only think about 254 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 2: inside the United States, I'm talking about the other side 255 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 2: of Atlantic too. People thought that by giving concessions to 256 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 2: the regime to get involved in endless negotiations, they can 257 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 2: somehow miraculously talk this region out of driving for nuclear weapons. 258 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 2: And where we are today. Actually, if there were a 259 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 2: robust policy two decades ago, the situation would not have 260 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 2: got to where we are today. But unfortunately, as I said, 261 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 2: appiacement after appeacement got us very well. Today, while the 262 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 2: threat is very real, we never advocated and we were 263 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 2: never a proponent of a military confrontation with your role 264 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 2: because you don't think that's solution. 265 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 1: I'm not saying you have been necessarily, but there are 266 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: people in America certainly that have and they are the 267 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: ones who've been saying for all these decades that Iran's 268 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: nuclear program is within and is very capable, and it's 269 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: going to happen any day now. And obviously Iran is 270 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: a big supporter of terrorism around the entire globe. One 271 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 1: thing I would like to know is you mentioned about, 272 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: you know, sanctions, which we already have sanctions on Iran. 273 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 1: What what good does it do if the United States 274 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 1: is sanctions on Iran, but like China doesn't or Russia doesn't. 275 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 2: Well, you have to remember we are talking about sanctions. 276 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:41,280 Speaker 2: We are talking about also secondary sanctions of what we're 277 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 2: buyasi in a gas, and we're talking about sanctioning where 278 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 2: it basically tifles the regime's social revenue. Because the fact 279 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 2: of the matter is all the money that this regime gets, 280 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 2: every single dying that it gets is useful repressing Ranian people, 281 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 2: is used to advance. This nuclear program is used to 282 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 2: advance this missile program, is used to stipend its proxies 283 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 2: all over the world and the region actually and it's 284 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 2: been will be plundered by you know, the regime's top brass. 285 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 2: None of this gets to the Ranian people. So basically 286 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:17,680 Speaker 2: what happens is the region cells the Union people's wealth. 287 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 2: They're oil, their gas and other resources to finance its 288 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 2: nefarious conduct, which the first and the primary victims of 289 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 2: the Anion people themselves. While the world is concerned about 290 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 2: the nuclear weapons, are concerned about you know, regimes terrorism, 291 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 2: But for me as an Iranian, it's also very important 292 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 2: what the regime does to its own citizens. That's first 293 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 2: and foremost, you know, in the last two in the 294 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:44,560 Speaker 2: last four decades, which NCRII the National Consular Resistance of Iran, 295 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 2: has been battling to bring about a regime change, and 296 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 2: I have to emphasize by the Iranians, for the Iranians. 297 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 2: More of one hundreds and twenty thousand good Iranians as 298 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 2: it gets thirteen years old and as old as seventy 299 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 2: two men and women have been executed by this RATIONI 300 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 2: solely for striving for democracy, no rights. So for us, 301 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 2: the issue is not solely you know, international or foreign. 302 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:10,360 Speaker 2: That's about, you know, the dignity of our people, our country, 303 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:12,800 Speaker 2: and democracy in our country and freedom, which you know 304 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:16,159 Speaker 2: Iranians deserve very much like any other nation on the 305 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 2: face of the earth. 306 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:19,199 Speaker 1: So I want to I want to go into the 307 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 1: Iranian people in a second, but but I want to 308 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 1: go back to the policy Iran for for just a moment. 309 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 1: Should Iran have any sort of Urinian program, because they're 310 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: talking about that should have a certain level. The t 311 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 1: from administration has been negotiating. You know, couldn't they en 312 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:37,840 Speaker 1: rich at all? But should they be allowed in your 313 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:39,120 Speaker 1: opinion of any sort of are. 314 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 2: Giving a nuclear program has to be shut down. Actually, 315 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,159 Speaker 2: the NCRI, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, has 316 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 2: a ten point plan for the future of Iran, which 317 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 2: has been articulated by Madame Mariam Bradjavi, the President elect 318 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:55,879 Speaker 2: of the Iranian Resistance. Madame Mariam Bradjevi is the person 319 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:58,879 Speaker 2: that the resistance has elected to be the president for 320 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 2: a transitional period when the Mullahs are ousted and Iran 321 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 2: is democratic and one item of that plan, in addition 322 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 2: to separation of religion and government and gender equality and 323 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 2: freedom and rights of all the ethnic and national minorities, 324 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:17,359 Speaker 2: is a non nuclear run. So we believe Iran does 325 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 2: not need nuclear program. It does not make any sense 326 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 2: at all. It's not economically savvy. It's actually very consprobative 327 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 2: for a country like Iran. You know, investing so much 328 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:32,399 Speaker 2: an Iranian nuclear program is like an Eskimo investing on 329 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:36,240 Speaker 2: a fridge or a refrigerator. You know, you're talking about 330 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:41,120 Speaker 2: a country which is sitting on the second biggest oil 331 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 2: gas reserves in the world, the fourth biggest oil reserve 332 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 2: in the world, a country which has one person of 333 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:51,400 Speaker 2: the population in the world but has somewhere from seven 334 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:54,920 Speaker 2: to eight percent of the world minerals, even according to 335 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 2: the regime's own estimates. I read a report, internal report, 336 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,440 Speaker 2: but there is Parliament back in two thousand and five, 337 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 2: and I have the document. We said, creating you know, 338 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 2: power plants based on nuclear energy in Iran. It does 339 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:12,439 Speaker 2: not make any sense, they said, be that's kind of 340 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 2: a price. In a normal situation, we can build ten 341 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:19,680 Speaker 2: fossil fuel you know plants in Iran. Because the energy 342 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:22,919 Speaker 2: is so cheap, So all can one wonder why this 343 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:27,160 Speaker 2: regime is so insistent on nuclear program. It's all obvious 344 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:31,720 Speaker 2: it's for weapons. It has no civilian purpose. And the 345 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 2: only party that is so intransigent about this whole thing 346 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 2: is the regime. 347 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 1: What do you make of Steve Wikoff, President Trump's and 348 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:44,360 Speaker 1: Special envoy to the Middle East and what his work 349 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 1: has been with Iran? 350 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,679 Speaker 2: Well, obviously I know they are trying to reach a 351 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:51,919 Speaker 2: good deal, but I think that it starts from the 352 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 2: point that they have to realize that there's nothing civilian. 353 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 2: There's nothing benevolent in this whole program from the onset. 354 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 2: It has been for military purposes, and there's so much 355 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,159 Speaker 2: facts to prove this. If it was civilian and for 356 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 2: good purposes, why the regime is so secretive about this? 357 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:14,680 Speaker 2: You know, none of its sites, none of its size, 358 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 2: has ever been informed of the IAEA by the regime itself. 359 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:21,399 Speaker 2: All of the sites have been told to the IEA 360 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 2: after we have told on them by our network inside 361 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 2: the country. So or why do they allow the ia 362 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 2: to interview their scientists? Why they don't you know, allow 363 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 2: snapback inspections, I mean snap inspections. So there's obviously more 364 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 2: than one eskeleton in the closets. 365 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:42,959 Speaker 1: What do you make of Israel's what they've been doing 366 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 1: the wrong, which just feels like every couple of months 367 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 1: you hear about Israel having either a cyber attack or 368 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:51,720 Speaker 1: killing a scientist or something or other to just kind 369 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:54,120 Speaker 1: of slow down or stop Iran's nuclear program. 370 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 2: I think the Iranian problem has an Urnian solution. You know, 371 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 2: what has been missing in all of the paradigm comes 372 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 2: to you run in all these years, in the twenty 373 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 2: four plus years that you mentioned you have been following 374 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 2: the Union situation in the last quarter century. The biggest 375 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:14,199 Speaker 2: missing element is the role of the Unian people and 376 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 2: the resistance. That's the fact that we changed the whole calculus. 377 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 1: Well, let's talk about the Iranian people then, because I 378 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:24,439 Speaker 1: mean I have followed a number of resistance movements by 379 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:28,320 Speaker 1: the Iranian people. There was the Green Revolution. Most recently, 380 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 1: there was a very very brave effort on the part 381 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:34,440 Speaker 1: of Iranian women to expose their hair and cut their hair. 382 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:38,879 Speaker 1: Was deeply, deeply moving what they were doing, But it 383 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: war one. What is the feeling of the leadership by 384 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 1: the people of Iran. 385 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 2: They hate the regime in its entirety, How can you 386 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 2: gauge that? Since December two thousand and seven, seventeen, sorry, 387 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 2: which is you know, seven and a half years, there 388 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 2: has been four major nationwide uprisings in Iran, all of 389 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:08,159 Speaker 2: them calling for the regimes overthrow. And each time the 390 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:13,160 Speaker 2: uprising gets bigger, more pervasive, more inclusive, people from all 391 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 2: walks of life, all age groups. The last one you 392 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:19,680 Speaker 2: just mentioned that it started in September twenty two and 393 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 2: went on for months and months, included all thirty one 394 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:27,720 Speaker 2: provinces of Iran, somewhere in like three hundred cities and 395 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 2: towns throughout the country. Now it's a very really number. 396 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:34,680 Speaker 2: So there's a nationwide sentiment. According to the regime's own 397 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 2: public figures, ninety six percent of the people of Irn 398 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:43,639 Speaker 2: hate this regime. That's amazing. Ninety six percent of people 399 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:46,400 Speaker 2: want a regime change. So that's the sentiment. 400 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:50,959 Speaker 1: Yeah. So, as someone who reads a lot about demographics 401 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 1: and studies a lot of how populations are acting both 402 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:59,479 Speaker 1: economically and socially, Iran's people the action, not the leadership, 403 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 1: but the people. Well, you know, they have relatively few children, 404 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,680 Speaker 1: They try to buy homes, they like, they enjoy Western 405 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: media as much as they can get it. I would 406 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 1: love to see a future of a western, a pro 407 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 1: Western Iran. I think that we I think that it's 408 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:19,720 Speaker 1: possible based on the population, Unlike let's say the population 409 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 1: of I'm just using an example Afghanistan, whom are not 410 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 1: pro Western in essence and they don't have the ability 411 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 1: to be pro Western and govern themselves. I think Iran 412 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 1: does how do we get there? You've mentioned sanctions, you 413 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:40,880 Speaker 1: mentioned having a correct response, But if I mean does 414 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 1: does a does a revolution involve a military uprising of 415 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:48,359 Speaker 1: some sorts? I just wanted how what is what is 416 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: the domino that has not fallen? Given that these protests 417 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,439 Speaker 1: have gone up, have increased that the governments of the 418 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:57,600 Speaker 1: West have put heavy emphasis. What is the domino that 419 00:23:57,600 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 1: has not fallen needs to fall? To get there? 420 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:04,199 Speaker 2: I think the ultimate solution would be another uprising by 421 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:07,400 Speaker 2: the Venian people. Said, if you look at the trajectory, 422 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:12,359 Speaker 2: it's getting bigger and bigger and bigger, and the slogans 423 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 2: are are becoming more demanding. What I'm saying is that 424 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:18,359 Speaker 2: people have kiss goodbye to the regime, have been calling 425 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:23,639 Speaker 2: for the overthrow the leader, the Supreme Leader, which everything 426 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 2: is hit, which hinges upon. Also, what's the way telling 427 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:31,399 Speaker 2: is that thinking the last uprising people also rejected an 428 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:33,879 Speaker 2: ignotion of going back to the time of monarchy the 429 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 2: last shot they have been you know, chanting down with 430 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,680 Speaker 2: the operasor being the shaw or the Supreme Leader, which 431 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:43,720 Speaker 2: meant that they're fully cognized of the fan that they 432 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 2: reject dictatorshow any shape and form. So the solution will be, 433 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,120 Speaker 2: you know, basically what I would say, revolution by the people. 434 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:53,920 Speaker 2: And also you have to remember there's an organized resistance 435 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 2: on the ground in the form of resistance units which 436 00:24:56,520 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 2: are affiliated to the people as much a headn't organize 437 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 2: position of run. These are the biggest resistance movement inside 438 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:05,120 Speaker 2: the country, which are part of the n CR. So 439 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 2: you have it. 440 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,680 Speaker 1: I thought the shot was fairly popular though or or 441 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: the family of the show was popular. 442 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:12,919 Speaker 2: Well, the fact of the matter is you have to 443 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 2: remember the shot was boots Or of Iraq by popular 444 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:20,159 Speaker 2: uprising for the obvious reasons. It was very oppressive. He 445 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 2: was very corrupt. 446 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: Well, I guess less oppressive than the current ones. So 447 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 1: it's everything's I guess in perspective, and I'm not advocating 448 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 1: for the shot I'm just I'm just sorry. ADHD is 449 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: very real today. So but but that's but when it comes. 450 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 2: Asking for is basically what will happen is that there 451 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:39,880 Speaker 2: would be an uprising by the people that will take 452 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 2: the balance. Now, the question is what kind of a 453 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,879 Speaker 2: policy we advocate from the West. The VEST should not 454 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:47,919 Speaker 2: sit on the fence, as they say. While we do 455 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 2: not advocate boots underground, we are not seeking weapons from 456 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:55,919 Speaker 2: any country. We're not asking money from any country. But 457 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:58,640 Speaker 2: we think the VEST should have a much active policy 458 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:02,800 Speaker 2: on Iran on these components. First of all, as I said, 459 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:05,200 Speaker 2: you have to have much tougher sanctions on the regime 460 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 2: to prevent them to have the money to continue financing 461 00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:13,200 Speaker 2: is apparatus of repression and belligerence. Number Two, the UN 462 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:16,600 Speaker 2: Security Council resolutions that are suspended because of the nuclear 463 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 2: deal have to be reactivated because the regime has violated 464 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 2: that resolution time and again. And Third, I think it's 465 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:27,480 Speaker 2: very important politically that the West, and here in a 466 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 2: specific the United States, should recognize the right of the 467 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 2: Union people in the Runian youth to bring about a 468 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 2: regime change and establish a democratic government. That's very important. 469 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:41,440 Speaker 1: So we should recognize And I'm just clarifying, I'm not 470 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:45,919 Speaker 1: battling claring so you like like the Trump administration or 471 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,040 Speaker 1: the president I states whoever it will be at any 472 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:53,200 Speaker 1: given time to recognize a leader not being the current one, 473 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 1: but whom is recognized by I guess a movement of 474 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:59,159 Speaker 1: people of Iran, even if the current leadership is there. 475 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 2: True, but also more important is the concept that, look, 476 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:05,440 Speaker 2: we realize that the Unians have the right to bring 477 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:08,200 Speaker 2: about the regime change by themselves. I think that sense 478 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:11,400 Speaker 2: shock faves to the Mulas. It also sends a very 479 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 2: positive message to the Unians that the world is on 480 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 2: their side, that instead of thinking passe, the world realizes 481 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 2: who is the Union people are right, the resistance is right. 482 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:25,239 Speaker 2: And you know the Mulas are are doomed to be 483 00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 2: overthrown by the Uranian people. Now, how and when would 484 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 2: that happen? Obviously nobody has a crystal ball to give 485 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 2: you you know on exact date that this will happen. 486 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:38,440 Speaker 2: But if you look at the trajectory, the last two 487 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:40,640 Speaker 2: or three years has been awfully bad for the Mullahs. 488 00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:44,200 Speaker 2: First of all, the uprising that you just mentioned, especially 489 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 2: because the young generation has been very active, including men 490 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:51,439 Speaker 2: and women. That's important. Also from a regional perspective, the 491 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:55,400 Speaker 2: regime has received a lot of you know, devastating blows. 492 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:59,400 Speaker 2: His wole law has been basically you know decimated. Who 493 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:02,480 Speaker 2: is obviously you know, which are armed by the regime 494 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 2: and finance and propped up, are very much in trouble. 495 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 2: And most importantly, the bachelor Assad regime in Syria, which 496 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:12,679 Speaker 2: was like the full crumb or the lynchpin of the 497 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:17,359 Speaker 2: regime's regional strategy, was gone eleven days. So if I 498 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 2: may say, in one word, all the chickens are coming 499 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:24,040 Speaker 2: home for the Supreme leader to roost at the same time. 500 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:27,680 Speaker 1: So well, okay, my last, my last question for you, 501 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:29,639 Speaker 1: and this is a complicated one. So you've said that 502 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:32,399 Speaker 1: we shouldn't get involved militarily, and this something I very 503 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:35,000 Speaker 1: much agree with, is we shouldn't be involved militarily, and 504 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:38,120 Speaker 1: I disagree hell with the people who are advocating for that. 505 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:42,720 Speaker 1: But if Iran is let's say, days away or weeks 506 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 1: away or months away even from a nuclear weapon, what 507 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 1: do you do then? How do you counter that? Is 508 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:55,320 Speaker 1: it just sanctions and hoping it all goes away, or 509 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:59,720 Speaker 1: is it a technological strike? Or is it something else. 510 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 1: I don't know what you would what the what the 511 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:07,160 Speaker 1: Western governments would you do if Iran is as nuclear 512 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 1: capable as people are saying that they are. 513 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,560 Speaker 2: Well, Honestly, I did not say that Iran is days away, 514 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:15,760 Speaker 2: because the people who say Iran is days away only 515 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:18,360 Speaker 2: think about enrichment. But as I said, there's also weaponization. 516 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:22,080 Speaker 2: There's also a delivery system for the stick missile. The 517 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:25,520 Speaker 2: world doesn't have much time, I should say. But as 518 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:29,040 Speaker 2: I said, the policy that we propose and we advocate, 519 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:32,560 Speaker 2: and as I said, Madame Mariam Rajevi testified before the 520 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:35,959 Speaker 2: US Congress online just on January of this year, and 521 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 2: she said, look, just change the whole policy. What does 522 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 2: that mean? As you said, much tougher sanctions, put Iran 523 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 2: on their Chapter seven of the Unions Security Council mandate, 524 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 2: which means that the regime is a global threat, and 525 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:54,680 Speaker 2: also change the attitude toward the resistance and the winning people. 526 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:57,760 Speaker 2: If you think that, you know, if the people of 527 00:29:57,800 --> 00:30:01,959 Speaker 2: Iran are given political encouragement to know that in fact, 528 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:05,160 Speaker 2: the world is on their side, the world would not, 529 00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:08,760 Speaker 2: you know, sit idle. And I'm talking about politically and 530 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:13,120 Speaker 2: morally that would make a big difference. Time is not 531 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 2: in the favor of the moloss As I said, if 532 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:19,080 Speaker 2: you look at the trajectory, there has been four uprisings 533 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:22,880 Speaker 2: in seven years alone, so another one is inevitable. And 534 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 2: you don't have to trust me. If you read the 535 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 2: regimes on press, if you listen to the regimes analysts, 536 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 2: even a lot of the regime's own officials are warning 537 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:35,880 Speaker 2: the way things are going, another uprising is inevitable. They're 538 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:40,880 Speaker 2: seventy percent of the population live below the poverty line. 539 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:45,920 Speaker 2: You know, this is a huge number of people. The 540 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:48,360 Speaker 2: lower class is getting smaller, I mean, middle class is 541 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 2: getting smaller and smaller, and the regime is getting more 542 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 2: and more isolated. And also what's important is that you 543 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:59,360 Speaker 2: have a vible alternative against the regime. So that's important 544 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:01,680 Speaker 2: to realize that, you know, the resistance has done its 545 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:04,640 Speaker 2: work over the years, a network inside the country, a 546 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:09,720 Speaker 2: political platform, a clear plan for future, and identify the leader, 547 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:11,640 Speaker 2: which as I said, is very much known to the 548 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:15,560 Speaker 2: US Congress and the US Senate. More than four thousand 549 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:19,720 Speaker 2: members of parliaments have endorsed this plant. Basically, Iranian people 550 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:23,680 Speaker 2: have done a lot to be where they are today, 551 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:26,720 Speaker 2: But I think the world would be much better off 552 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:30,120 Speaker 2: to be on their side, to only think about, you know, 553 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 2: attack or not attack. The narrative that you either bomb 554 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 2: them or you pisce their hands and placate them. I 555 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:43,720 Speaker 2: think the narrative that the mulahs propagated over the years. 556 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:46,360 Speaker 1: Well, that's a great that's a great way to that's 557 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:49,320 Speaker 1: a great way to leave it off. And I think 558 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: that's really important context, especially to an American audience who 559 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:58,280 Speaker 1: only hears that the solutions either go with the Supreme 560 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 1: Leader or full on war. The American people are overwhelming 561 00:32:04,120 --> 00:32:08,200 Speaker 1: against Shahinkobadi. Where can people research and learn more about 562 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:11,680 Speaker 1: the National Councils of National Council of Resistance of Iran. 563 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 2: Well, there's a good website called NCR National Councular Resistance 564 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:22,960 Speaker 2: so NCR. That Iran dot org. NCR, that'sh Iran dot org. 565 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:25,400 Speaker 2: That's our website. They can also go to the website 566 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,280 Speaker 2: of Madame Mariam Rajavi Mariam m A R y A 567 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:31,720 Speaker 2: M Rajavi r A j A v I and they 568 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:36,160 Speaker 2: can get a lot of first hand information, unfiltered, which 569 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:39,120 Speaker 2: our people get from Iran on a daily basis. You 570 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 2: know that's also a part of our endeavored to make 571 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:46,800 Speaker 2: people aware that Iran is not synonymous with the mu 572 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:49,760 Speaker 2: laws that rule them, and it's very important to get 573 00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:53,280 Speaker 2: the word out that there's a third option, an option 574 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:55,840 Speaker 2: that identifies with the Union people and their aspiration and 575 00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:59,840 Speaker 2: their organized resistance. And trust me, the moment that is done, 576 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:03,400 Speaker 2: the mulas will be unnotice. 577 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:06,800 Speaker 1: I hope that that happens one day. I hope you 578 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:09,280 Speaker 1: have a democratic and pro western Iran. I really do 579 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:12,600 Speaker 1: thank you for being on this podcast. I genuinely appreciate it. 580 00:33:12,760 --> 00:33:14,480 Speaker 2: Me too, and have a good one and I wish 581 00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:17,800 Speaker 2: you and your viewers have the best of days ahead. 582 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:23,560 Speaker 1: Hey, we'll be right back after this and now for 583 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:25,720 Speaker 1: the ask Me Anything segment. If you want to be 584 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: part of the Ask Me Anything segment, email me Ryan 585 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:32,520 Speaker 1: at numbers Game podcast dot com. That's ryanat numbers gamepodcast 586 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 1: dot com. You could even tweet me if you want 587 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:36,640 Speaker 1: about the podcast and ask me a question. I will 588 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:39,520 Speaker 1: answer on air about any issue you could possibly think 589 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:41,480 Speaker 1: of that I know anything about, which is not sports, 590 00:33:41,520 --> 00:33:44,440 Speaker 1: So any sports questions. Although apparently the new Pope is 591 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:47,160 Speaker 1: a White Sox fan or Cubs fan or something like 592 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:48,960 Speaker 1: that doesn't sound well. I don't know. I don't know. 593 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:50,440 Speaker 1: I got the cubs of the White Sox. But best 594 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:52,240 Speaker 1: the luck to wealth those teams and the new Pope. 595 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:55,520 Speaker 1: All Right, The question is my friend highly who says, 596 00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:58,720 Speaker 1: do you think the Pierre people inside the Trump administration 597 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 1: were actively trying to sabotage him? This is a very 598 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:04,240 Speaker 1: good question. It is one that comes up a lot, 599 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:07,280 Speaker 1: and it is very difficult to answer. I will say 600 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:12,000 Speaker 1: that in the first Trump administration, I tweeted a list 601 00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:17,200 Speaker 1: of people who were actively working to us to go back. 602 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 1: I had a lot of sources, so I was working 603 00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:21,320 Speaker 1: as a reporter for part of the time inside the 604 00:34:21,360 --> 00:34:25,759 Speaker 1: first administration, very high up inside the trumdministration in the 605 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:29,560 Speaker 1: Oval Office, who were telling me, these are lists of 606 00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:32,560 Speaker 1: people working to sit there and stop Trump. Many now 607 00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:35,719 Speaker 1: are prominent never trumpers. One was the anonymous guy I 608 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:38,040 Speaker 1: was tweeting about him long before it was happening. Many 609 00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:41,959 Speaker 1: with the leakers that were coming out, And in that 610 00:34:42,200 --> 00:34:45,399 Speaker 1: case of the first administration, when it was so glaringly 611 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:49,080 Speaker 1: obvious there were people working to stop Trump. The difference 612 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:52,160 Speaker 1: was and I'm not I'm not spending a lot of 613 00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:54,160 Speaker 1: time talking about him because he's no longer in politics, 614 00:34:54,160 --> 00:34:58,239 Speaker 1: it doesn't really matter. But Jared Kushner really protected a 615 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:02,160 Speaker 1: lot of those people, a lot of those people, and 616 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:03,880 Speaker 1: he wasn't the only one. There were a lot of 617 00:35:03,880 --> 00:35:06,880 Speaker 1: people being protected. Kelly and Conway protected a lot of 618 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:10,239 Speaker 1: those people from being fired or advocated for them. There 619 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:14,840 Speaker 1: was a scene where it was the former head of 620 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:18,120 Speaker 1: the Personnel Office who was hiring tons of never Trumpers, 621 00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:21,439 Speaker 1: the first Personnel Office, whose name I can't remember, and 622 00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:23,640 Speaker 1: it was pointed out to Trump with him in the 623 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:27,080 Speaker 1: room that he was a leaker, and basically the whole 624 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:29,960 Speaker 1: Oval office defended this guy and he was leaking. He 625 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:31,960 Speaker 1: went to like the next room and leaked immediately against 626 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:35,760 Speaker 1: Ginny Thomas, who was a Supreme Court justice. Clarence Thomas's 627 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:38,080 Speaker 1: wife who made the point that he was one leaking, 628 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:40,040 Speaker 1: or she was one of the people. She wasn't a 629 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:42,160 Speaker 1: single person. There was another person in the room who 630 00:35:42,239 --> 00:35:43,960 Speaker 1: made the point, but she was one of the people 631 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:46,920 Speaker 1: making the point that he was leaking. Anyway, it was 632 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:50,839 Speaker 1: very obvious and there was an entire ecosystem within the 633 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:54,000 Speaker 1: White House of the first term to protect the never trumpers, 634 00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:56,760 Speaker 1: the leakers, the people trying to create their own agenda. 635 00:35:57,360 --> 00:36:01,759 Speaker 1: This administration is new. I don't see that same framework 636 00:36:02,719 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 1: in the same way that the first term existed. Certainly not. 637 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:09,040 Speaker 1: It's certainly a much more cohesive white House. Here's a 638 00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:12,719 Speaker 1: problem with saying somebody is against the Trump agenda or 639 00:36:12,760 --> 00:36:17,239 Speaker 1: trying to sabotage him. Trump's changes his minds a lot, 640 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:22,239 Speaker 1: changes his mind quite often, right. He can be very impulsive, 641 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:28,000 Speaker 1: and there are times when he takes two sides of 642 00:36:28,040 --> 00:36:32,719 Speaker 1: the same issue. So who is the one sabotaging him? Ultimately, 643 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:36,480 Speaker 1: the issue lies when the president is something that you 644 00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:39,200 Speaker 1: don't like, or with the administration something you don't like. 645 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:42,959 Speaker 1: The problem lies in the president. Nine times out of ten, 646 00:36:43,520 --> 00:36:46,759 Speaker 1: if he is allowing those people to be around him, 647 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:49,719 Speaker 1: it is a problem of the president. Now, this administration 648 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:51,960 Speaker 1: runs a lot smoother. I think Susie Willis has done 649 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:56,120 Speaker 1: a very good job of facilitating a cohesive White House. 650 00:36:56,400 --> 00:37:00,960 Speaker 1: But as far as creating someone working against the president, 651 00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:03,280 Speaker 1: I wouldn't say that. I would say there are weaker 652 00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:07,400 Speaker 1: links in the administration. I think that the Commerce Secretary 653 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:11,839 Speaker 1: Lutnik is an immensely weak link. I think he has 654 00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:15,719 Speaker 1: done no service to the president whatsoever. I think he's 655 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:18,799 Speaker 1: been very problematic in his role every by the way, 656 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:20,759 Speaker 1: he said hates when I say problematic, I still do it. 657 00:37:20,760 --> 00:37:23,480 Speaker 1: But he's been an issue in his role. I think 658 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:26,359 Speaker 1: that Christy nom has had many issues in her role. 659 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:30,399 Speaker 1: So but we'll see how long she stays around for. 660 00:37:31,080 --> 00:37:35,759 Speaker 1: But are they sabotaging the president? No? Are they weaker links? Yes? 661 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:39,680 Speaker 1: Do they sometimes push their own agenda to the president 662 00:37:39,719 --> 00:37:43,319 Speaker 1: hoping he changes his mind? I believe so. So that's 663 00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:45,560 Speaker 1: my very long and short answer of it. It's not 664 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:47,239 Speaker 1: as bad as the first White House. But are there 665 00:37:47,280 --> 00:37:49,640 Speaker 1: people who push their own agenda and hope the president 666 00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:53,319 Speaker 1: believes them? Yes? Does he do it sometimes? Yes? So 667 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:56,560 Speaker 1: that's the long and short of it. Anyway, Thank you all. 668 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:58,600 Speaker 1: Please email me some stuff. I love getting these kinds 669 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:00,279 Speaker 1: of questions. It's a really good way to enter with 670 00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:03,279 Speaker 1: the audience. And if you like this podcast, please like 671 00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:06,359 Speaker 1: and subscribe on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, wherever you 672 00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:08,480 Speaker 1: get your podcasts. Give me a five star review if 673 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:11,560 Speaker 1: you're being generous, and I will see you guys on Thursday.