Beni Sabti, an Iran specialist at the Institute for National Security Studies, delivered sharp criticism of Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s envoy, during an interview at the Arutz Sheva - Israel National News booth at the IAC conference in Florida. Sabti said Witkoff’s narrow focus on Iran’s missile program and nuclear ambitions - while disregarding the plight of ordinary Iranians living under repression - was deeply troubling. “I sat there in shock," he said.
According to Sabti, regional discourse has shifted away from the grassroots level and is now concentrated among political leaders. “The conversation moved from the street to the leaders’ level," he said, describing a dynamic now centered largely between Trump and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, with Israel playing only a limited role. He holds out hope that the change is an act of misdirection. "We have seen before that Trump has tried to mask his true intentions. It seems that we are at a stage where we do not necessarily need to know what is truly happening, and must wait and see what develops."
He argued that the Iranian regime has perfected the art of survival, even instructing Hamas on how to withstand sustained pressure. As a result, Sabti said, Iran favors long-term endurance over a dramatic, single blow against the regime. “This is a regime focused entirely on survival," he explained. “The leader will flee from place to place, generals will relocate constantly, and the country will resemble one vast refugee camp. This requires patience." (Ed note: Whatever happens, Bill Salus' book, "Nuclear Showdown in Iran" discusses a little known prophecy about Elam, and Ezekiel 38:5 tells us that there is yet another prophecy that Persia will appear again.) (Read More)
