Deluded Iranian regime will sink sooner or later

One of the main issues with the government of Iran is that the 1979 revolution was never intended to create a theocratic dictatorship.

The overwhelming majority of the people revolted against the shah in order to set up a democratic, inclusive and secular government.

However, the ruling clerics co-opted the revolution to establish a system of absolute clerical rule, with Ayatollah Khomeini as the supreme Leader.

Now, Khomeini’s successor, Ali Khamenei, seems to be overseeing efforts to stave off a renewed push for democratic governance by insisting that opposition to the theocratic dictatorship is tantamount to supporting the enemy or endorsing the previous political establishment.

As a result, it is natural that the Iranian people will rise up against the political establishment again and again in order to achieve their true aspiration for self-determination and a democratic system of governance.

As we can see, the frequency of widespread protests has been increasing in the last decade, which is exactly what occurred in the 1970s, with dissent increasing year after year until it reached boiling point.

The series of uprisings seen around the country in recent years reveals the depth of popular support for regime change.

For example, at the end of 2017, a protest began in the city of Mashhad over the state of the Iranian economy, before spreading rapidly and also taking on an increasingly political tone.

In 2018, the movement encompassed a huge number of cities and towns, with each of them providing an outlet for unusually provocative slogans. The chants included “Death to the dictator,” “Hard-liners, reformers, game over,” and “Our enemy is right here.” More protests took place in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Not only is the number of protests rising, but their duration is also expanding as people’s fear of the theocratic establishment is diminishing.

Some chants that a few years ago were unthinkable, such as “Death to Khamenei,” are now commonplace. In fact, Khamenei, as the main figure of the theocracy, has become a permanent fixture in the protesters’ slogans.

The other problem is that the Iranian regime has not learned a lesson from other dictatorships that were overthrown in spite of their projected power. The regime believes it is different from other dictatorships because it has a powerful military and police force and it can suppress opposition and dissent with brute force. But the more it uses violence in order to crack down on protesters, the more it is fueling the demonstrations and people’s anger. As a result, the regime is confined to a vicious cycle that will sooner or later end with the people’s victory — as history has repeatedly shown.

The regime’s security and anti-riot forces have been out in full force amid the current protests, shooting at people, arresting and killing protesters, using water cannons to disperse crowds, and drawing chants of “shame on you” from people who refuse to give up any ground. And the protesters continue to call on the regime to free all political prisoners.

It is worth noting that the fearlessness, courage and leading role of women has been exceptional throughout the protests of recent years. Dozens of video clips circulating on social media attest to this. In one video from 2017, a woman stands in front of security forces and shouts “Death to Khamenei” — an offense that carries the death penalty.

The political nature of the protests has been clear for years, although the underlying impetus could be the economic situation, particularly the vast financial corruption permeating the regime.

The series of uprisings seen around the country in recent years reveals the depth of popular support for regime change.

Dr. Majid Rafizadeh

The other characteristic that the leaders of the Iranian regime share with other dictators is being delusional about the situation of the people, leaving them disconnected from the overwhelming majority of the population. For example, Khamenei last week broke his silence by insisting that the young people of Iran have a “promising” future. He said: “Today, there is a misleading propaganda campaign going on that tries to show the opposite of this. The aim of this propaganda is to imply that the Iranian youth have lost their values, have no hope for the future, and do not feel they have any sort of responsibility. There is a propaganda campaign that is seriously pursuing this goal, (but) the reality of the matter is the opposite of this.”

The supreme leader added: “Our younger generation has progressed brilliantly in all fields and arenas up until today. God willing, they will continue to do the same in the future, whether it is to defend their homeland, to preserve security, or to help the resistance front throughout the entire region.”

However, the delusional and repressive regime that currently rules Iran will sink, sooner or later.

• Dr. Majid Rafizadeh