Posted by Saeed Kamali Dehghan at The Guardian, 20:37:<\/p>\n
Ordinary Iranians were on tenterhooks, monitoring the developments closely, particularly any immediate impact on the country\u2019s national currency, which hit an all-time low last month, prompting panic-buying of hard-to-find dollars amid political uncertainty.<\/span><\/p>\n Trump\u2019s decision to reimpose sanctions is likely to exacerbate the state of the economy at the time when public discontent is rife. In January, protests over economic grievances that began by the end of last year spread in an spontaneous manner to as many as 80 cities, taking on a political dimension. The unrest resulted in the death of at least 25 protesters and jailing of more than 3000 people – many of whom remain in prison.<\/span><\/p>\n Sadeq Zibakalam, a prominent political commentator and professor of politics at Tehran University, struck a pessimistic tone about the consequences of Trump\u2019s decision in Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMany people are worried about war,\u201d he told the Guardian on phone from Tehran. \u201cWhenever the country faces a crisis in its foreign policy or economy, the situation gets better for hardliners, they\u2019d be able to exert their force more easily.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n He added: \u201cAt the same time, hardliners will gain politically from this situation, because they\u2019ll attack reformists and moderates like [President] Rouhani that this is evidence of what they had been saying for years, that the US cannot be trusted, and that US is always prepared to knife you in the back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Zibakalam, who is close to the reformists, said he did not think it would take long for Europeans and other nations to follow in the footsteps of the US, because they won\u2019t endanger their economic ties with Washington, which would outweigh the benefits of doing business with Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn the short term, the radical faction in Iran will be strengthened, this is good for the hardliners, this will boost their position in Iran\u2019s political system,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n Foad Izadi, a Tehran-based conservative political analyst, said Trump\u2019s aim was to confront ran with greater force. \u201cThis shows that the idea that you can negotiate with the US and reach an agreement won\u2019t bear any fruits, not only he wants to reimpose sanctions that had been suspended, he wants to impose new sanctions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Izadi said Iran can withstand the pressure. \u201cFor 40 years, we have been living under sanctions. The collapse of the nuclear deal will mean that we have to find ways to circumvent sanctions, something we have done in the past. The institutions that have been doing that now need to be reequipped.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen relations between Iran and the US goes down from bad to worse, the risk of confrontation and war, particularly in the region, goes up,\u201d Izadi added.<\/span><\/p>\n Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), said Trump\u2019s \u201creckless decision\u201d puts the US on path to war with Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDonald Trump has committed what will go down as one of the greatest acts of self-sabotage in America\u2019s modern history. He has put the United States on a path towards war with Iran and may trigger a wider regional war and nuclear arms race,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n