Iranian Islamic Scholar Mohammad-Taghi Akbarnejad: Many Iranians Despise The Regime's Support For Palestine; Khamenei Must Stop Supplying Palestine With Military Support; If Iran Continues On This Path – The Regime Will Fall

Director of Jurisprudence and Islamic Civilization Institute Mohammad-Taghi Akbarnejad discussed the Iranian regime's support of Palestine in a December 23, 2023 interview with DidarNews (Iran). He said that a large part of the Iranian population despises the regime's support of Palestine. Akbarnejad suggested that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stop stating that he wants to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, stop supplying weapons to Gaza, and stop providing military support to the Palestinians. He said that this will lift the sanctions off Iran. Akbarnejad said that Iran is at a "very dangerous crossroad," and if it continues on the same path, it will collapse and the regime will fall".

Mohammad-Taghi Akbarnejad: "Our people have shown that they want to support the oppressed of the world, but at what price? What have we done that caused a significant part of our population to despise the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran for Palestine? You see where we have brought our people?"

"The logic of the Quran about helping others is like a natural spring. Once the spring starts to flow, it irrigates the trees around it first. If it had more water to spare, it would irrigate other trees and gardens. If we try to divert the water away from the trees around the spring to other places, we cause division, and divert from the logic of Quran. My point is that our people feel that the regime is not focused on them".

"I believe that if Mr. Khamenei was asked today to sacrifice his life, his possessions, his family, and his honor for his people, he would not think twice. He would definitely do it. I know Mr. Khamenei to be this kind of person. Unfortunately however, I have reached the conclusion that the focus of Mr. Khamenei's policy is outside of [Iran's] borders".

"If today the world asks Mr. Khamenei to back down a little on the issue of Palestine – that he no longer uses the slogan of wiping Israel off the face of the earth, that he will not give more weapons to Gaza, and no longer support the Palestinians militarily...Give them diplomatic support as much as you can, but do not get involved militarily, and back down from the slogan of erasing Israel".

"In return, all the sanctions [against Iran] will be lifted, and we will have a clean slate. Iran will be able to resume all forms of cooperation with the world. This will give the Iranians some breathing room again".

"My feeling is that Mr. Khamenei would not accept such an offer. Why? Because for him, the Palestinian cause has become the cornerstone of the Islamic Republic".

"When the focus of your policy-making is erasing Israel and saving Palestine, and you are not willing to budge a little even when your people are suffering so much, you have to pay the price, and the sanctions are the price. It results in living in [unstable] security conditions".

"For the past 45 years, our people have lived in such security conditions. The way we have acted is an indication that the regime's number-one priority is its own survival."

"I feel that today our country is at a very dangerous crossroad. Very dangerous. If we continue on the same path as before, our collapse is certain. I am sad to say this but our collapse would be certain – the regime will fall and God only knows what will happen to our country. The policies of the Islamic Republic in the last 40 years have caused many [countries] to become our enemies".

"This nation can only tolerate up to a certain limit. It can persevere up to a certain point, but it will explode when the threshold is crossed, and then it will be too late to do anything."