The protests in Iran call for the end of the Islamic Republic. Can they lead to a system change?
If the paramilitary and military forces lay down their arms and side with the people who want to live in peace and freedom, yes.
The Basij militias deployed to quell the protests have millions of volunteers. Where do you see signs that these forces are siding with the protesters?
I have appealed several times in recent weeks to the Revolutionary Guards and members of the army to stop standing against their own people – against their brothers and sisters. Other human rights activists have also articulated this message. You can no longer support a state that has committed so many crimes.
What strengthens your belief that the armed forces could actually switch sides?
Because the number of protesters is increasing, there will come a time when the Revolutionary Guards fear their relatives might be among the demonstrators. They will be afraid of hurting their own daughter, wife or mother. We can see that even when the protests are crushed, people take to the streets again. For them, the continuation of this regime no longer makes sense. Different political groups as well as different ethnic groups in Iran and people of all ages are protesting across the country because the last decades have shown: reforms are not possible in this system that tortures, imprisons and kills its people. Ultimately, the protesters will be in the majority because the more the regime cracks down on the protests, the more people will take to the streets.
In addition to the Revolutionary Guard, Ayatollah Khamenei has established a second pillar of power with his “Office of the Supreme Leader” – a nationwide network, equipped with many privileges, which runs through institutions and the economy …
… this situation may complicate a system change. But you also have to see that only those who have privileges support the regime. Everyone else is against it.
Where do you get your information from, are you in direct contact with people in Iran, and to what extent is it still possible to exchange information?
I’m in daily contact with people I trust. I usually talk to them in the mornings because the government shuts down the internet in the afternoons and evenings when there are many demonstrations. This makes it difficult for the demonstrators to exchange ideas. The internet was shut down for several days last week.
The foreign ministers of the European Union have decided on sanctions against those responsible in the country. Is this the right move?
That is certainly true, but it is not enough. It can be assumed that these people have several passports under different names and also bought their property under different names. European governments must put more pressure on the Iranian government to stop violence against the people.
The German foreign minister announced a feminist foreign policy when she took office. Will it live up to this promise in view of the protests in Iran?
I expect that the German foreign minister, in protest at the suppression of the demonstrations in Iran, will recall the German ambassador to Iran and immediately expel the Iranian ambassador to Germany. This could become a role model for other Western states that say a lot in favor of the Iranian people but do practically nothing.
Shirin Ebadi, born in 1947, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. In her native Iran, she defended political prisoners as a lawyer. She has lived in exile in London since 2009.
