VIRGINIA – A military strike against Iran's nuclear program, as well as economic sanctions, will only serve to boost the Ayatollah regime while weakening revolution prospects, Iran's former vice president warned Saturday.
Speaking at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Ata`ollah Mohajerani also recounted a visit by Shimon Peres to Tehran, where he offered the Iranian Shah Israel's assistance in building a nuclear reactor.
Mohajerani, who served as Hashemi Rafsanjani's deputy between 1989 and 1997, and as culture minister under Mohammad Khatami, argued that enough had been said about a military solution in Iran.
"Did eight years of using force resolve the problem in Afghanistan?" he said. "A military strike will boost the regime in Iran and eliminate democratization."
Based on his personal familiarity with Khatami Musavi, and Karroubi, the former VP said opposition figures will object to any attack on Iran.
"If anything happens, we will defend our leadership in order to defend our sovereignty," he said. "Most leaders of the Green Revolution will rally around the regime."
The exiled Iranian leader, who currently resides in London, also said that expecting the Green Revolution to organize effectively within three months is unrealistic.
"We need more time," he said. "A military strike will weaken the movement."
Turning his attention to possible sanctions, Mohajerani warned that they will weaken the Iranian middle class and prompt the military establishment to take over the country.
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