MEMRI: Latest News: Iranian Intellectuals Against Khamenei - Dr. Qassem Sa'adi: 'Your Regime Is Illegitimate, Your Foreign and Domestic Policies Are Failing and Despotic'


More disident voices within Iran now. A couple of quotes:

[...]Khamenei Rules Out Dealings With the U.S. While the Iranian People Want Engagement


Sa'adi claimed that by preventing dialogue with the U.S. and not renewing contact with it, even though U.S. leaders had admitted that in the past the U.S. made mistakes regarding Iran, Khamenei is harming Iran's national interests. He also accused Khamenei of hypocrisy, as Khamenei ignores America but seeks to improve relations with Britain:


"Many members of the regime advised you, particularly on matters connected to international and U.S. affairs. For example, in a letter given to you in my presence by [Majlis member] Dr. Rajaii-Horasani… [Rajaii-Horasani] stated that [now] you could set the conditions for talks and for renewing relations with the U.S… [while] if you fail to exploit this opportunity, the U.S. will set the conditions (later)."


Sa'adi said most Iranians want to improve Iran-U.S. relations: "[According to public opinion polls by Iranian public institutions], 75% of the Iranian people are opposed to Khamenei's policy [towards] the U.S. and support talks with it. In your opinion, three-quarters of the Iranian people are either politically illiterate or have no honor. [While] the people of the world praise the Iranians' political insight and national honor, you, who seized the administration of this nation, consider them devoid of political [understanding] and/or devoid of honor. How can you consider three quarters of the nation to be devoid of honor or politically [ignorant], yet at the same time continue to lead [such a] people?"[...]


Iran Errs in Espousing the Palestinian Cause


The linking of Iran's interests to the Palestinian cause was criticized by Sa'adi who deemed Iran's position as hypocritical in light of the fact that it does not support other Muslims, such as those in Chechnya or India.


"Must this [Palestinian cause] be linked so closely to our nation's fate? Is there a difference between Muslims in Chechnya or India and the Muslims of Palestine? Doesn't Russia's Red Army repress the Chechen Muslims? Why do [Iran's] ideological interests not demand that we support them [as well]?"[...]