The United Nations delayed its statement for three weeks, unlike the rapid replies common elsewhere. Jonathan Harounoff, after two years at the organization, examines the muted reaction to fatalities in Iran.

Harounoff: The Islamic Republic draws power from its nondemocratic structure

ByJERUSALEM POST PODCASTS

AUGUST 6, 2026 15:58

Updated: AUGUST 6, 2026 16:32

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Six weeks after the United States and Iran reached a memorandum of understanding, the pact lingers mostly as speculation about its own existence.

Discussions restart only to stall again. Strikes occur even as both parties claim the basic structure remains intact. On this week's Deep Dive episode, host Jacob Laznik notes that the narrative has shifted focus, leaving the original subjects out of view.

His guest, journalist and Iran analyst Jonathan Harounoff, spent two years at the UN: after protests began in December and deaths mounted, the Secretary-General took two to three weeks to issue a statement. In Gaza or Lebanon, he notes, a response would have arrived within hours.

Laznik poses a pointed numerical question. With depleted water supplies, limited electricity, discussions of relocating the capital, and two rounds of conflict, how does the regime remain intact? Harounoff's reply provides the key insight. The calculations hold because the Islamic Republic devoted years to preparing for this scenario. Its main advantage lies in its lack of democratic accountability.

It faces no pressure from surveys, energy costs, or election cycles. Israel and the United States do. Unable to prevail in open conflict, it aims to endure longer, using the Strait of Hormuz as leverage.

With Israel heading to polls on October 27, Iran ranks outside the top ten campaign topics. Harounoff attributes this not to disregard but to limited reach, which explains why 15 percent of views on his posts originate from within Iran. He ends with the detail that stands out: those who most strongly advocated for ongoing strikes against the Islamic Republic were not officials or experts.

They were Iranians at Nowruz gatherings in Brooklyn, approaching him repeatedly to call for action. Those facing the highest stakes proved the most vocal.