What Will Iran Do Next? Tehran-Based Professor Weighs In

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Let me first ask you about —

MOHAMMAD MARANDI, PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF TEHRAN: Thank you.

AMANPOUR: — Iranian retaliation. How is that going down at home? Is that enough for the people? It appears the United States can live with what Iran did. Can the people of Iran?

MARANDI: I think the most important element about the strike was that all of the Iranian missiles got through the air defense system and the U.S. armed forces were unable to down any of them or intercept them and they all hit their targets, and that was a major achievement, especially since the Americans were expecting an attack of some sort, or at least they thought there may be an attack. And that, I think, sends a message to the United States and the U.S. friends in the region, like Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, that all bases are vulnerable to Iranian missiles and Iran has many such sites. And that those countries that are supporting the United States or who potentially will support the United States in any military conflict, if they do so, they’ll be seen as an enemy and they will be on the receiving end of Iranian missiles as well. So, I think that that is a sign of Iranian strength and people were quite impressed that these missiles or these — I don’t consider missiles to be beautiful, but in the language of many Americans, beautiful missiles reached their destination.

AMANPOUR: Now, the president of the United States, as you know, addressed the nation and the world after this, everybody was waiting to see what his response would be. And he believes that Iran has shown a response that he can tolerate. He said, as you heard, that Iran seems to be standing down and that’s good for everyone. Can you confirm that? Do you feel that that’s the case, that for now this round has happened, and that the rest is to be determined?

MARANDI: Well, I think that the military attacks will end because I think the Iranians feel that they’ve sent the right sort of message, even though many leaders in the United States will deny it. But the Iranians feel that they understand that Iran has much more strength than they anticipated. But I do think that this, we have entered a new chapter in the region. The Iraqis have turned against the United States, no matter what the Americans say. We saw the funeral processions in Iraq for General Soleimani and it turned out that he was exceptionally popular there, contrary to what we’ve been hearing over the past few months.