Columbia Professor Claims Israeli Influence in Iranian Protests

An Iranian studies professor at a prestigious Ivy League institution has criticized Israel for purportedly inciting violent protests in Iran amid a backlash against the regime.

Hamid Dabashi, a professor at Columbia University, stated in an interview with Al Jazeera that, “What you’re seeing today is an insurrection instigated by Israel, with Mossad operatives hiding among Iranian protesters in the streets of Tehran.”

He referenced a recent post on X by former CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who alluded to Mossad agents mingling with demonstrators.

In support of his claim, Dabashi highlighted remarks from Pompeo, who indicated that the Iranian government is resorting to using mercenaries due to escalating protests across various cities. “Uprisings in dozens of cities, the Basij under siege…” Pompeo wrote, suggesting these events signal deeper problems for the Iranian government.

Dabashi also pointed out that in recent protests, Israeli flags were raised, questioning their presence: “What is the Israeli flag doing in Iran?”

He emphasized the necessity to differentiate between genuine protests against the Iranian government driven by the economic crisis and external influences that, according to him, skew the narrative. “We need to be careful to distinguish between the legitimate protests of Iranians against the Iranian government… and illegal Israel inciting the protests for their own sinister reasons,” he said.

Furthermore, he accused Israel of manipulating these protests to divert attention from its actions against Palestinians in Gaza and the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories in the West Bank.

A spokesperson for Columbia University defended Dabashi’s rights to express his opinions, emphasizing that these views do not represent the institution. Dabashi has, however, remained silent on further inquiries.

The university has faced ongoing accusations of anti-Semitism and has been linked to significant anti-Israel protests that emerged following the two-year conflict that began with a Hamas attack in 2023. In response to these allegations, Columbia established a task force to address anti-Semitism on campus, culminating in a report highlighting the challenges faced by Jewish students.

In a statement about the release of the report, Columbia University’s acting president mentioned the need to strike a balance between academic freedom and anti-discrimination efforts.