by Jazeh Miller:

Many have said that the situation in Iran is becoming critical. The people are still protesting and the government is hitting back. However, what is really happening inside the country is hard to know. The Iranian government previously said that the protests had fizzled out. It also said that peaceful protesting is permitted, however we know from leaked reports from inside Iran that dozens of

people have been killed and hundreds arrested by suppressive forces.

The people of Iran have been waiting for any sign of moderation within the regime for many years. Not once have they been able to detect even a hint of moderation, and it is now clear this is because there is no moderation.

Some analysts have commented on the situation saying that regime change in the country is not the only solution. It has been suggested that all the Iranian regime needs to do is to change its foreign policy. The justification for this argument is that the Middle East is already in a state of crisis with the displacement of millions of people and numerous civil wars. Some believe that the situation in the region will improve if Iran stops interfering in the internal affairs of other countries and if it initiates domestic reforms and works on development at home.

Iran’s neighbours hope that protests and anti-government demonstrations will make the Iranian regime pay more attention to the people who are fed up and desperate for political change.

Internal reform may have helped several decades ago, but the Iranian regime has passed the point of no return. Its anti-American rhetoric continues, despite the numerous concessions granted to it by former US President Barack Obama. Obama went as far as to turn a blind eye to Iran’s countless acts of belligerence and Iran still managed to outright threaten the United States.

Furthermore, when further evidence about the 1988 massacre in the form of an audio clip was released to the public in 2016, instead of conducting an internal investigation, members of the Iranian regime openly bragged about their participation. The 1988 massacre, which involved the execution of more than 30,000 political prisoners, is still considered to be one of the most horrific crimes in modern history. To make matters worse, the Iranian regime took steps to cover up evidence by destroying mass grave sites.

The Iranian regime takes no heed when it comes to international laws. It is the country with the most number of executions carried out per capita, and it unashamedly executes minors and those that have committed crimes that would usually be punishable by a short prison sentence or a fine. Women and ethnic and religious minorities are also treated as second-class citizens and the recent elections prove that democracy is a myth in Iran.

The people of Iran are desperate for change and the Iranian regime must not be given any more chances. It has had ample opportunity to change its foreign policy and become less aggressive. There is not a single shred of moderation in the regime and this is not going to change just because the people are protesting.