Iranian Professor Questions Iran’s ‘Responsibility to Annihilate Israel’

University of Tehran professor, Sadegh Zibakalam, openly questioned the Iranian regime’s policy when it comes to Israel, asking why it is necessary for the Mullahs to have the “responsibility to annihilate Israel,” according to a video that surfaced on YouTube this week.

Zibakalam, who appears to be openly defying the regime’s stance–which has in the past landed him with a long prison sentence–tells an audience gathered during a panel discussion:

You claim that the Islamic Republic of Iran has a responsibility to annihilate Israel. The first question I’d like to put to this regime is that this responsibility to annihilate Israel as the core values of Iranian foreign policy, who has given this responsibility to the Islamic Republic of Iran?

“Have Iranian people asked for Israel’s annihilation in a referendum?” he adds.

Zibakalam continues, to the applause and cheers of the audience, “Has Iranian Parliament legislated Israel’s annihilation?”

However, a minority group within the audience, in support of the Ayatollah’s regime, start to chant, “Death to Israel.” But amazingly, the audience starts to boo the pro-regime chants calling for Israel’s destruction.

One of the pro-regime members of the panel then attempts to take over the conversation, but Professor Zibakalam insists that his point of view is heard aplenty in “TV, radio, newspapers, and Friday prayer.” Again, the audience begins to wildly applaud the professor in approval.

“You are so tyrannical and dictatorial that you even disrupt this debate,” he tells the pro regime co-panelists.

The audience again breaks out into cheers and begins to chant in unison, “Sadegh Zibakalam! Sadegh Zibakalam!”

“Who on earth has given this responsibility to Iran to annihilate Israel?” the University of Tehran professor concludes.

Zibakalam was previously sentenced to 18 months in prison for questioning the wisdom of Iran dumping billions of dollars into its nuclear program, while the country continued to go through severe economic struggles.

In the year 2000, he attempted to run for the Iranian Parliament, but was rejected as a candidate by Iran’s Guardian Council, which determines who is allowed to run for office. The Guardian Council is primarily made up of appointees of the Iranian dictator, Ali Khamenei.