Benny 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.
Sabeti 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. While he once admired Trump’s apparent familiarity with Iranian history, Sabeti now believes that knowledge has served as a sophisticated façade that ultimately benefits Tehran.
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."
According to Sabeti, 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 argued that the Iranian regime has perfected the art of survival, even instructing Hamas on how to withstand sustained pressure. As a result, Sabeti 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."
Sabeti spoke emotionally about the long-running struggle between the Iranian public and the ruling elite, a confrontation that began soon after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He described the pain of watching protests erupt in neighborhoods and streets he knows personally. He recalled that when President Trump declared, “Help is on the way," many Iranians felt a surge of hope and took to the streets, though Sabeti stressed this was only one stage in a much longer process.
“The intensity of the protests and the anger toward the security forces are unprecedented," he said, noting acts of open resistance that he had not seen before. While he expressed hope that the crisis could be resolved without violence, Sabeti added that an outcome in which Iran abandons hostility toward Israel and ceases its support for terrorist organizations would be the best-case scenario for Israel.
Sabeti also cited what he described as a leaked Iranian survey showing that 75 percent of respondents expressed positive feelings toward Jews, while 80 percent opposed the regime. “The Iranian public is closer to the spirit of the Abraham Accords than many Arab societies," he claimed, arguing that entrenched antisemitism in parts of the Arab world contrasts with Iran, where “the regime is the problem, not the people."
Regarding Israel’s role in U.S.-Iran relations, Sabeti said Jerusalem should largely remain on the sidelines. “There’s no reason for us to intervene when the major powers are leading the process," he said, drawing parallels to past dealings involving Hamas, Hezbollah, and Qatar.
ISabeti assessed Iran as a fatigued power with significantly weakened capabilities. While it may continue producing missiles, he questioned its ability to deploy them effectively, citing a sharp reduction in launchers and difficulties importing equipment from China. “Missiles without launchers don’t work," he said, urging Israelis not to exaggerate the threat. “The Iranian player will exit the stage after the first round - wounded, exhausted, and weakened."