As we observe the announcement of a peace agreement between the United States and the Islamic Republic, let us not forget the losses and suffering endured by the Iranian people, and their continued repression under this regime.
Although some of the individuals responsible for the devastation of the Iranian nation over the past decades have been eliminated, the repressive apparatus of the dictatorial regime and its inhumane system of oppression remains intact. While the flames of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement have been temporarily subdued by the winds of war, the Iranian people are now left with not only the devastation caused by the conflict but also with an ever more brutal manifestation of the regime, forcing them to fend for themselves. The Islamic Republic used the war as a pretext to intensify its repression of the Iranian people, arresting thousands and accelerating its execution of dissidents and protesters.
As thousands of protesters from January uprising remain imprisoned in the regime’s dungeons and face the threat of torture and execution, this agreement ignores and fails to address the fate of the Iranian people. At its core, the Islamic regime in Iran has held the nation, the region, and the world for the past 47 years through its terrorist nature. It will continue to subject the Iranian people to violence and repression as it has done for decades – perhaps even more ruthlessly than before – while perpetuating the same policies of reginal instability and division.
The brave Iranian people, however, have demonstrated time and again their determination to rid the country of this poisonous enemy from within. They will continue to pursue this goal through their struggle for regime change, without the need for intervention by foreign powers whose objectives may not align with their aspirations. The end of the current hostilities does not automatically bring peace and prosperity to the Iranian people. This will only be brought about by the Iranian people, leading to a democratic government.
