00:00Let's talk about the statement that was released by the new supreme leader yesterday.
00:04It really is one of defiance.
00:07This does not sound like a regime that is not emboldened.
00:11If anything, they sound more emboldened than they were a couple of weeks ago.
00:18Indeed, Jumana, it's great to be with you.
00:20It is indeed a statement of defiance.
00:22It is a statement of doubling down.
00:26And it is, of course, not surprising, not to me at least, and not to many observers in the region
00:32for many reasons.
00:34This is now a fight for survival for the Iranian regime.
00:39It is a fight against Israel and the United States, and they feel that they can outlast both Israel and
00:48the United States
00:49because they've been through this before, pushing back against American influence and Israeli occupation of South Lebanon, for example, through
00:56Hezbollah over the years.
00:58And when it comes to Mushtaba Khamenei himself, remember his father's just been killed in a strike.
01:05Several members of his family have been killed as well.
01:08He's only 56.
01:09He can do this now for many years to come.
01:13His succession, his role as successor to his father was actually in doubt before this war.
01:20It was not a done deal that he would become the next supreme leader, but the war brought this into
01:27being now.
01:29What we don't really know, Jumana, is despite the sense of continuity that the regime wants to put forward
01:37and the sense of cohesion that they're still projecting, we don't know really what is happening inside Iran and within
01:46the regime,
01:48whether there are beginning to be any fissures, any defections, or any work behind the scenes that we're not aware
01:56of
01:57that could still push back against this regime, whether it is an organized rebellion or a popular uprising.
02:04But what is certain at the moment is that President Trump may want to wrap up this war,
02:11but it's really not only up to him anymore.
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