Response:

According to Hamid Dabashi, leading expert on Iran at Columbia University and CNN Commentator: "there is absolutely not a shred of evidence that any major or even minor opposition leader -- from Mir Hossein Moussavi to Mehdi Karrubi to Mohammad Khatami, or any of their related political organs or legitimate representatives -- has ever uttered a word that could possibly be interpreted as calling for or endorsing any sort of economic sanction against Iran, let alone "crippling sanctions."

As in the Iraqi case, imposition of economic sanctions on Iran will have catastrophic humanitarian consequences, while  . . . [empowering] the security and military apparatus . . .

It will also give them a welcome opportunity to accuse the opposition of cooperation with "the Enemy" and initiate even a harsher crackdown of the opposition, and perhaps even move toward a full-fledged military coup."

Footnotes