When protests against the Shah of Iran broke out in 1977, all political forces in the country participated, not only the Islamic movement. About two years later, the leaders of the United States, Britain, France and Germany met on the French island of Guadeloupe and decided to end the rule of the Shah. Paris realized that the revolution against the monarchy had spiraled out of control.
Therefore, France agreed to host Khomeini in 1978, seeing him as a suitable alternative to assume power. The success of the revolution in 1979 marked a major turning point in the Middle East. The so-called ‘Cassette Revolution’ paved the way for the revolution through cassette tapes recorded in the French village of Neauphle-le-Château, where Khomeini resided, and distributed in Iran. This intro is necessary to understand the current Iranian public opinion, how events are unfolding, and who is capable of changing the internal situation. Since the 16th century, Iran has always been an arena of regional and international power struggles. At every significant juncture, external decisions have been the deciding factor.
Today, with the significant advancements in communications and technology, the landscape has completely changed and the truth is now fully exposed. Thus, it was not surprising when US President Donald Trump stated, “we do not know who is ruling Iran.” The absence of an apparent political and military leader has allowed the Revolutionary Guard to effectively rule from behind the scenes, with various factions in the regime vying for power. Given the past experience, particularly between 1977 and 1979, the embers of confl ict still burn.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated “the war must end at some point. It is better to end it today. People staying away from the ruling circle do not understand the conditions under which the government is operating.” In this statement, Pezeshkian alluded to the unbearable living and economic conditions. History is repeating itself for the Iranian people. When the revolution of Mohammad Mosaddegh succeeded in 1951, at a time the Shah was at the height of his power, the people could not endure the British blockade of Iranian ports, so they revolted against the government in 1953, and the Shah regained power.
Today, after 47 years of oppressive rule and immense suffering, Iranians are even more resentful of the regime of Ayatollah. With the recent developments in the war, the tightening of the suffocating embargo and the international community’s abandonment of the rogue Iranian regime, the regime has no choice but to heed the voice of its people. No matter how hard the regime tries to beautify its image, it is defeated, at least in the eyes of 90 million Iranian people. Attempts to repeat the SAVAK tactics that preceded the downfall of the Shah —bombings, riots and blaming protesters—are no longer effective in this era, where everything is clearly exposed. The attempts of media outlets in and outside Iran to mend the image of the Iranian regime are nothing more than a smokescreen.
The Iranian media campaigns against American imperialism and global Zionism will not benefit the average citizen, even if they provide him with the price of a loaf of bread, especially since inflation soared to 350 percent. While it is true that the Shah will not return and there are no readymade alternatives to the Iranian regime, a Venezuelan-style scenario will emerge as soon as the international community agrees on a suitable replacement. Trump stated an undeniable truth when he said that the Iranians do not even know who their Supreme Leader is. Chanting slogans is useless for starving people. Possessing nuclear weapons and missiles is a curse for a regime that is detached from the reality of its people.
