So much for a ‘final battle’ - once again the Iranian people’s peaceful and democratic demands have been silenced
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- In late December, Iran witnessed an uprising sparked by economic pressures, initially led by merchant bazaaris and spreading across society, with the government responding through violent repression rather than dialogue.
- The regime's harsh crackdown, including the involvement of Shia jihadist militias from Iran and neighboring countries like Iraq, reflects an apocalyptic ideological foundation intolerant of civil unrest.
- Calls for regime change were amplified by Reza Pahlavi and monarchist diaspora groups, whose nationalist and monarchist narratives overshadowed the democratic aspirations of earlier protest movements and marginalized ethnic minority and women's voices.
- Iran's diverse ethnic groups, particularly Kurds and Azeris, oppose Persian nationalist ideologies promoted by Pahlavi, but their political demands have been
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