Alireza Salimi’s shocking revelation highlights the ruthless methods used to secure loyalty and crush dissent within the Iranian regime
Alireza Salimi, a member of the presidium of the Iranian regime’s parliament, has made a stunning admission that sheds light on the regime’s brutal origins and methods of repression. Speaking about the early years following the 1979 revolution, Salimi revealed that some children of top clerics—figures deeply entrenched in the regime’s ruling hierarchy—joined opposition forces. In response, senior religious leaders allegedly issued execution orders against their own children as proof of absolute loyalty to the regime.
Salimi specifically named hardline clerics such as Mohammad Mohammadi Gilani and Ahmad Jannati, asserting that they quickly and publicly distanced themselves from opposition groups by approving the killing of their own relatives. He disturbingly described this act as a “sign of greatness,” stating:
“In the early days of the revolution, some children of clerics joined opposition groups, and some of our elders issued execution orders against their own children, like Gilani and Jannati, swiftly drawing a clear line.”
A Regime Built on Betrayal and Violence
This confession starkly exposes the savagery with which the clerical regime has enforced its power since its inception. By sacrificing even their own family members, regime leaders demonstrated that loyalty to the system outweighed all human and moral obligations, including blood ties.
The regime’s ideological leaders, who long claimed moral and religious authority, are revealed here as willing to betray their own flesh and blood to secure their grip on power. Salimi’s remarks also underscore the depth of opposition that existed within the regime’s inner circles, strong enough to drive clerical elites to such extreme measures. Far from projecting strength, this confession reveals the deep fractures and insecurities that have haunted the regime from the very beginning.
Continuity of Repression
Salimi’s admission is not just a grim reflection on the past, but also a reminder of the enduring nature of the regime’s methods. The same mentality that justified executing one’s own children continues to define the system’s treatment of dissent. For more than four decades, the regime has relied on imprisonment, torture, and executions as tools of control. Families of dissidents are often harassed, threatened, or punished, mirroring the same ruthless logic of sacrificing personal relationships for political dominance.
As the regime marks over 45 years in power, Salimi’s remarks highlight its enduring reliance on fear and brutality. His revelation offers a stark window into a ruling system that has never hesitated to spill even its own blood to maintain its grip on power—an oppressive legacy that continues to scar Iranian society and fuel resistance against its tyranny.
