Ben Lewis spoke to Ahmad Zahedi Langaroudi – a young writer and web blogger, currently involved in the production of the journal Ronak

The media are full of stories about Iran supplying weaponry to shia militia in Iraq. What is your take on this?

There is no doubt that Iran’s islamic republic (I mean the government, not the people) sends arms to islamic groups, not only in Iraq, but throughout the world. Exactly the same as other oppressive states, such as the US government or Israel, China or Russia. In many ways, the sale of arms is a very profitable business and a market with a prosperous future, although Iran’s intentions in giving arms and ammunition are often ideological.

What about the sanctions in Iran? What effects have they had on the Iranian working class and how has the regime utilised them as part of its political agenda?

Sanctions have sunk the country into unprecedented stagnation and depression, with direct consequences for the social and moral crises in Iranian society. Iran is today facing total economic devastation and dispersion. While the government is actually strengthened by the sanctions and uses them to excuse it own military activity, ordinary people face serious economic pressures.

The Iranian working class can hardly pay for its most basic needs and many are surviving by eating bread alone. It is no exaggeration to say that the current generation of workers is facing one of the worst times in our country’s history. They are sacked in their tens of thousands, as factories are affected by ‘economic adjustment’ policies, and the only way the state has found to stop their protests and rebellion is to turn them into drug addicts.

How is the regime reacting to the threat of invasion?

War is the best hope for the islamic regime. This government can only be propped up by war and its survival – especially with the current president, Ahmadinejad – is tied to a continued sense of crisis. What better crisis than war in order to cover up government incompetence and continued repression and human rights violations?

Are students able to organise?

Students in Iran are facing many challenges and the situation remains difficult for self-organisation. Many activists have been expelled from universities and others have been forced into exile over the last few years. Undoubtedly some student organisations have been infiltrated by suspicious groupings. But students are continuing to organise and many issues are being debated in depth.

What can students in Britain do to help?

All I can say to the rest of the world is that what Iran needs is not bombs and destruction, but education and better communication systems – building a school is far more constructive than war and sanctions.