Expert: Damaged trust in Trump among Iranians

Nivette Dawod

Published 14.15

 

The sisters in Iran had packed their bags.

Everyone was waiting for the big bang – then the ceasefire became a reality.

– Now that the war on the ground has ended, the war on the narrative begins. Everyone says they have won, says Mohammad Fazlhashemi, professor of Islamic theology.

It was a troubled night for Mohammad Fazlhashemi, professor of Islamic theology at Uppsala University, originally from Iran.

– To be honest, I went in expecting it to really hit after two o'clock last night, he says when Aftonbladet reaches him on Wednesday morning.

He is referring to Donald Trump's deadline, and the threat that an entire civilization would die if Iran did not agree to a ceasefire.

The family in Iran also got ready.

The sisters in Tehran had decided to flee to parts of Iran that had not been bombed as intensively. They had even packed their bags.

– They were not alone, the whole neighborhood had talked to each other about how it would be wise to leave. But at the same time, they wanted to stay until the last minute. When the news came, they breathed a sigh of relief.

  

         

          

         Mohammad Fazlhashemi, professor of Islamic theology. Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TT 

FACTS

Two-week ceasefire

The US and Iran have agreed on a two-week ceasefire and that the Strait of Hormuz will be opened.

At the same time, Iran has sent a ten-point proposal, which US President Donald Trump has stated constitutes a “working basis” for negotiations, which will begin on Friday, April 10 in Pakistan.

Trump has stated that the US has already achieved its military goals with the war in Iran and that “almost all previous issues of dispute have been resolved” between the US and Iran.

However, several experts have called Iran's list "a massive capitulation" from Trump, as the list is said to contain points that Iran is allowed to continue controlling the Strait of Hormuz, enrich uranium and that all sanctions are lifted.

The US, Iran and Israel have all declared themselves winners of the war. However, Israel has stated that it does not consider the ceasefire to apply to Lebanon, where Israel is fighting the Hezbollah militia.

 

Clearances in Tehran after an airstrike on April 7. Photo: Francisco Seco /AP/TT

2,000 civilians have been killed

Everyone Mohammad Fazlhashemi spoke to during the war has described heavy carpet bombing from Israel and the US during the almost 40 days that the war has been going on.

It has affected the population.

Directly understood - 2,000 civilians have been killed, according to the UN.

But also indirectly.

Hundreds of thousands of civilian buildings have been destroyed. Infrastructure, universities, cultural heritage, everything is gone.

And the regime, which many Iranians have wanted to fall, remains.

Killed hawks – such as Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – have been replaced with new ones.

          

          Regime-friendly Iranians celebrated the ceasefire after the announcement. Photo: Francisco Seco/              AP/TT

The regime change that Trump spoke about on the first day of the war seems to have been forgotten along the way. In recent days, he has rather turned towards the Iranian population.

– Of course, few mourn the regime, but when one of the world's leading leaders threatens to wipe out an entire civilization, that's where the line is drawn for many Iranians, says Mohammad Fazlhashemi.

Will some kind of nationalism be awakened?

– Yes. Or rather a national sense of patriotism. You can see that these attacks are not only directed at the regime. On the first day of the war alone, a school in Minab was attacked and 160 schoolchildren were killed. Many civilian buildings have been hit. Schools, mosques, a church the other day, a synagogue was bombed yesterday. It will be food for thought for people, even though many are happy that Khamenei was killed.

But Mohammad Fazlhashemi does not believe that it would increase support for the Iranian regime.

– Dissatisfaction with the regime is incredibly widespread. You can never get away from that. This applies to both the political repression, the economic policy and the country's social policy, with the compulsory veiling of women and restrictions on the lives of young people. But someone I spoke to said: "I don't give a damn about the regime, but when the US starts bombing infrastructure and destroying the country the way they have done, they are crossing a line".

Trump's rhetoric is not appreciated among Iranians. Photo: Alex Brandon /AP/TT

A war over the narrative

Trump's statements have above all damaged trust in the US among Iranians, believes Fazlhashemi.

And that is what the battle will now be about.

– Now that the war on the ground is over, the war over the narrative begins. Everyone says they have won. Trump says the US has won, Israel says Iran can never be a threat again. And from the Iranian regime's side, they say that "we have managed to stand up to two of the world's strongest armies". All sides have proclaimed themselves victors based on their motives.

So who has won? 

– I believe that diplomacy has won after all, with this proposal for a ceasefire. It could be the beginning of direct negotiations between the US and Iran, and could perhaps lead to something. What is discussed at the negotiating table, the result in realpolitik terms, remains to be seen.