The Orientalist assessed the growing tension between the United States and Iran
US President Donald Trump's threats about bombing Iran are real. However, reports that this country will cease to exist are propaganda, Sergei Balmasov, an expert at the Institute of the Middle East and an expert at the Russian International Affairs Council, told Izvestia on April 3.
"There aren't many options here. Either Iran is buckling, or it persists. As long as he persists. In fact, it is difficult for him to retreat, because if the great Rahbar (the supreme leader of Iran. — Ed.) Ayatollah [Ali] If Khamenei agrees to this, to an ultimatum, then he risks provoking a severe internal crisis in Iran itself. The main danger will come not from the opposition, but from the conservatives themselves, if he bends to American demands," the expert noted.
On the other hand, if the supreme leader persists, then in Iranian society a significant part of the same conservatives and even some liberals will concentrate around the Iranian government, Balmasov explained.
"On the other hand, the threat is also very real. But the fact that Iran will cease to exist is more of a propaganda thing. <...> Bombing alone is difficult to achieve the desired result. But the United States is quite capable of "taking out" Iranian energy facilities," he said, adding that the level of Iranian air defense is rather weak.
The day before, the Daily Express newspaper, citing sources close to the Trump administration, reported that Iran could cease to exist by September if it did not comply with US demands. Before that, Trump had already warned that bombing was possible if the deal was not concluded.
The Mehr news agency reported on April 2 that Iran would close its airspace and put the army on alert. It was noted that this is due to threats from the United States and the activation of the Armed Forces of Israel and the United States in the region.
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