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Tehran’s prosecutor has filed a criminal complaint against Sadegh Zibakalam, an Iranian political commentator and author, over recent statements that praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as "baseless," Iranian news agency Tasnim reported on Tuesday.
Zibakalam, who has a history of similar convictions, is facing new legal trouble, reportedly due to comments he made at a conference in Qatar. There, he claimed that younger Iranians view Netanyahu as a "hero."
Zibakalam's remarks
"You would be shocked by the number of Iranians who despise the Palestinians since October 7. What happened to the sympathy? It’s gone," Zibakalam, a staunch supporter of the Iranian regime, said at the Qatar conference. "If someone had told me, Sadegh, a day would come when Iranians would hate the Palestinians and praise Netanyahu – of all people – as a hero, I would have thought they were out of their minds. I would have thought they were speaking nonsense and didn’t understand Iranians at all. But I’ve seen it with my own eyes over the past 15 months. I’ve witnessed the levels of hatred among the young Iranian generation toward the Palestinians and their perception of Netanyahu as a hero."
During the conference, he also touched on the U.S. elections, saying, "If someone had told me that Iranians would dream of a Donald Trump victory – a man who is against women, Arabs, immigrants, and Black people – I would have responded, 'You don’t know Iranians.' But I’ve seen with my own eyes what has unfolded over the past 15 months."
Zibakalam, has previously faced legal trouble for remarks deemed problematic. However, his controversial statements often align with the regime’s narrative. In recent years, he has been accused of spreading fake news and unsubstantiated content on social media, leading to several lawsuits against him. He was previously sentenced to 18 months in prison and banned from political activity in both physical and virtual spaces for two years due to "propaganda activities against the regime." In another case, he was sentenced to one year in prison, and in a third, where he was accused of publishing "false information," his sentence was reduced to six months following an appeal to Iran’s Supreme Court. Currently, he is reportedly out of prison due to health reasons.
Beni Sabti, a researcher at the Iran Program of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), explains that Zibakalam is considered someone who helps preserve the Iranian regime, ensuring it does not weaken or become less conservative. According to Sabti, Zibakalam's remarks at the Qatar conference were misinterpreted.
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So why has he been charged now, despite being a regime supporter? "Because he aired the regime's dirty laundry," Sabti explains. "There are things you simply don’t say publicly. Even if people in Iran criticize the weak economy, they’re thrown in jail for exposing these issues externally. You’re not allowed to present the Iranian regime as weak, flawed, or ineffective, nor can you suggest that its enemies are admired."
Sabti notes that Zibakalam’s portrayal of Netanyahu as "admired" is particularly problematic because it undermines Iranian propaganda. "At the same conference, he also said that Hamas has managed to stand up to Israel heroically and with strength," Sabti adds. "He didn’t only talk about Netanyahu."
Sabti further described Zibakalam as "unreliable," claiming that in the 1980s, Zibakalam was involved in hanging regime opponents and overseeing the execution of Kurds.
According to Sabti, Zibakalam’s statements, in some ways, serve the Iranian regime. "Every time there’s trouble for him, it’s dismissed," Sabti says. "He acts as a shield for the regime. He makes grand statements that sound appealing, so people think there are 'good Iranians' within the regime and that dialogue with them is possible. This lures the West. The Iranians play games with headlines and appearances." Sabti believes this is why Zibakalam was allowed to speak in Qatar and remains out of prison.