Key takeaways

• The Islamic Republic of Iran prioritizes the export of Islamic doctrine over the welfare of its citizens.
• Iran’s governance is deeply rooted in Islamic law, which dictates all aspects of the state.
• The regime aims to establish Iran as a hegemonic religious authority in the Muslim world.
• Iran is seen as the ideological center of the Muslim world, influencing regional politics.
• The sectarian divide between Shia and Sunni Muslims complicates Iran’s ambitions for Islamic authority.
• The Islamic Republic seeks to lead the anti-Zionist movement as a unifying theme for Muslims.
• Iran’s reliance on Russia and China contradicts its revolutionary promises of independence.
• Severe oppression and human rights violations are prevalent under Iran’s current regime.
• Iran operates under a system of gender apartheid, treating women as second-class citizens.
• The Iranian government has failed to provide basic services like water and electricity.
• Khamenei’s power structure undermines democratic processes in Iran.
• The Islamic Revolution was not supported by the people as a means to establish an Islamic theocracy.
• Khomeini’s rise to power involved deceiving the public about his true intentions.

Guest intro

Sana Ebrahimi is a PhD student in Computer Science at the University of Illinois Chicago. Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, where she lived for 23 years, she is a prominent activist speaking out against the Islamic Republic’s brutality and supporting the ongoing protests for freedom. She arrived in the US in 2019 and uses Twitter, with over 55,000 followers, to challenge regime propaganda and Western misconceptions about Iran.

The totalitarian nature of Iran’s regime

• “The Islamic Republic of Iran operates as a totalitarian regime” – Sana Ebrahimi
• The regime prioritizes exporting Islamic doctrine over the interests of its people.
• “It’s an Islamic theocracy… everything is governed through that Islamic law” – Sana Ebrahimi
• The regime justifies its authority through Islamic law, which governs all aspects of the state.
• Understanding the historical context of the Iranian Revolution is crucial.
• The regime maintains control and legitimacy through religious doctrine.
• “The goal of Khamenei… is to make this hegemonic religious authority” – Sana Ebrahimi
• Iran aims to be treated as the ideological center of the Muslim world.

Sectarian challenges and regional ambitions

• Khamenei’s ambition for Islamic authority is complicated by the Shia-Sunni divide.
• “Khamenei is facing a really huge obstacle… because Khamenei is a Shia Muslim leader” – Sana Ebrahimi
• Iran seeks to lead the anti-Zionist movement as a unifying theme for Muslims.
• “Iran, the Islamic Republic, came out and tried to be the leader of the sort of anti-Zionist movement” – Sana Ebrahimi
• The sectarian divide poses significant challenges to Iran’s regional ambitions.
• Understanding the geopolitical implications of Khamenei’s ambitions is essential.
• Iran’s strategic positioning in the Muslim world is highlighted by its anti-Zionist stance.
• The regime’s ambitions are not limited to Iran but extend to the broader Muslim world.

Dependency on foreign powers

• The Islamic Republic is currently dependent on Russia and China.
• “Iran is pretty independent on Russia and China… they are getting our Iranians’ oil” – Sana Ebrahimi
• This dependency contradicts the original revolutionary promises of independence.
• Understanding the historical context of the Islamic Revolution is essential.
• The regime’s geopolitical dependencies highlight a significant contradiction.
• Iran’s reliance on foreign powers undermines its revolutionary ideals.
• The regime’s actions are at odds with its founding principles.
• The contradiction between independence and dependency is a critical issue.

Human rights violations and gender apartheid

• Iran is experiencing severe oppression and human rights violations.
• “A lot of oppression, killing, and crimes against humanity” – Sana Ebrahimi
• Iran operates under a system of gender apartheid.
• “Iran is a gender apartheid state… women are treated as second-class citizens” – Sana Ebrahimi
• Understanding the political and social climate in Iran is crucial.
• The regime’s actions against its citizens highlight critical human rights issues.
• Gender inequality in Iran is systemic and severe.
• The legal and social status of women in Iran is a significant concern.

Failures in governance and public services

• The Iranian government has failed to deliver basic services like water and electricity.
• “People don’t have electricity for a couple of hours every day… there’s a water shortage” – Sana Ebrahimi
• Khamenei’s power structure undermines democratic processes.
• “There’s this council… the supreme leader picks the members… and they pick the supreme leader” – Sana Ebrahimi
• The disconnect between government promises and reality is significant.
• The lack of elected officials perpetuates undemocratic governance.
• Understanding the socio-political context of Iran is essential.
• Systemic failures in governance are evident in the provision of public services.

Public sentiment and historical context

• The Islamic Revolution was not supported by the people for an Islamic theocracy.
• “People were not supporting Islamic theocracy… they didn’t want religion ruling their life” – Sana Ebrahimi
• Khomeini’s rise to power involved deceiving the public.
• “It was just like a straight lie… that was always the plan” – Sana Ebrahimi
• Understanding the historical context of the revolution is crucial.
• The disconnect between the people’s desires and the outcomes is evident.
• Khomeini’s manipulative tactics were crucial to his rise to power.
• The revolution’s narrative is challenged by the people’s true intentions.

Oppression and corruption within the regime

• The regime operates through a system of oppression and corruption.
• “You cannot get anywhere if you’re a business owner… if you know the right person” – Sana Ebrahimi
• The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps operates like a mafia.
• “The IRGC operates as essentially a mafia… it’d be a shame if something happened” – Sana Ebrahimi
• Corruption and mismanagement have led to economic challenges.
• “A lot of resentment is caused by the corruption and mismanagement” – Sana Ebrahimi
• Understanding the dynamics of power and corruption is essential.
• The intersection of power and business is highlighted by the IRGC’s actions.

Information control and propaganda

• The regime shuts down the internet to control the narrative during protests.
• “The Iranian regime shuts down the internet… to prevent protesters from coordinating” – Sana Ebrahimi
• The brutality of the regime is shocking, even to those aware of its history.
• “I was still in shock… how can you just shot a child like that” – Sana Ebrahimi
• The regime manipulates information flow to control the narrative.
• “They want to prevent anybody from getting an accurate sense of the atrocity” – Sana Ebrahimi
• Understanding the regime’s tactics during protests is crucial.
• The strategic manipulation of information is a key aspect of the regime’s control.

The role of social media and public perception

• The majority of young Iranians are disengaged from traditional media.
• “The majority of the people, especially the young generation… know very well” – Sana Ebrahimi
• The regime’s fear is amplified by high engagement with opposition figures on social media.
• “If you’re the regime and you see that… that scares you” – Sana Ebrahimi
• Social media influences perceptions of global conflicts.
• “Their identity is now wrapped up in supporting Palestine” – Sana Ebrahimi
• Understanding the media consumption habits of young Iranians is crucial.
• The influence of social media on political awareness is significant.

Global implications and potential for change

• The Islamic Republic’s actions pose a threat to global security.
• “What the Islamic Republic does… is affecting the entire Europe” – Sana Ebrahimi
• Iran’s nationalist history makes it different from other countries with US intervention.
• “Iran has a strong nationalist history… for something like two thousand five hundred years” – Sana Ebrahimi
• A free Iran could positively influence its neighbors.
• “When Iran is free… the Islamist narrative is gonna get destroyed” – Sana Ebrahimi
• Understanding the geopolitical implications of Iran’s situation is essential.
• The potential benefits of a regime change in Iran are significant.