In 2022, Iran witnessed nationwide protests that dealt significant blows to the regime, a fact acknowledged daily by its media. One of the primary catalysts for this change is the populace’s resolute rejection of any form of dictatorship, effectively thwarting the regime’s attempts to stifle further uprisings.
The media is cautioning officials about the looming specter of a fresh social upheaval and explosion, fueled in large part by the emergence of a new generation spanning from the 1980s to the 2000s, which poses a formidable challenge.
This younger demographic harbors no inclination to comply with the regime any longer. State-run daily, Arman-e Melli, articulates this sentiment, stating, “The new generation is dismantling the status quo.”
The regime’s predicament has worsened, particularly following its recent debacle in the purported elections for its parliament and Assembly of Experts for Leadership. By boycotting these elections, the populace has created a critical juncture, plunging the regime into a legitimacy crisis and exacerbating factional disputes within its ranks.
Describing the situation, Arman-e Melli warns, “This poses a grave risk. We have bitter experience with radicalism, which has permeated both principlist and reformist factions.”
Iranian society now unequivocally rejects the regime’s values and is increasingly distancing itself from it. This newfound societal resolve seeks to assert control over its destiny and that of Iran.
The rejection extends to all the regime’s factions; even the so-called reformist faction has lost favor and is facing the people’s nonchalance, posing an insurmountable challenge to the regime.
Arman-e Melli observes, “Iranian society has transitioned from sensory to perceptual cognition, recognizing its agency and the need for decisive action. People are no longer content to engage in political currents devoid of tangible outcomes.”
In the eyes of modern Iranian society and its change-seeking youth, the era of consolidating political and religious power under a single figure, bearing the title of Velayat-e Faghih (Supreme Leader), has passed. The regime’s exploitation of religion and sanctity within the country’s traditional society no longer holds sway over Iranian beliefs and votes.
Arman-e Melli elaborates, “In traditional, charismatic societies, dissent is scarce, and elders’ directives are unquestioningly followed. Today, however, Iranians are critical thinkers, basing decisions on the performance and evaluation of individuals and political currents. Iranian society is primed for radicalization.”
Through unwavering struggle and resistance over the past four decades, Iranian society and its vanguards have brought the regime to the brink of collapse. There are no remaining resources for this regime to exploit. Over 45 years, it invested heavily in a singular approach, only to lose everything in one fell swoop.
Devoid of the capacity for new strategic or tactical decisions, the regime finds itself with only one viable path forward: inevitable self-encirclement leading to its ultimate overthrow.
