IRAN PROTESTS FROM SOMEONE BORN IN ITS PRISONS

Quick Overview

Sahar Delijani recounts the deep fear and societal paralysis experienced by Iranians due to the Iranian regime's constant violent repression, citing the systematic execution of thousands of political prisoners since 1988 and the ongoing crackdown on dissent, which she believes is partly fueled by Israel's strategic narrative and the global left's failure to unequivocally support the Iranian people's struggle for democracy and freedom.

Key Points: Over 80 million Iranians face a state of paralyzing fear due to the Iranian regime's systematic violence and repression. The regime executed thousands of political prisoners, including many activists, writers, and union leaders, following the 1988 Iran-Iraq War. Delijani notes that many in the diaspora, including herself, were raised in environments where discussing the regime's crimes was forbidden. The speaker criticizes the narrative that Israel's bombings or military intervention would help, arguing the fight must come from within Iran against its own dictatorship. The Iranian regime actively discredits any voice supporting democracy, secularism, or Palestinian rights, often labeling them as agents or anti-imperialists. The current protests are fueled by a long history of suffering and a desire for change that has spanned over 40 years since the revolution.

Context: Sahar Delijani, an Iranian author and writer, is interviewed by Samira Mohyeddin on the program 'On The Line' to discuss the current state of protests in Iran and the psychological toll of the Islamic Republic's repressive tactics. Delijani shares personal experiences growing up knowing about state violence, such as her parents' imprisonment and the execution of political prisoners, which informs her critical perspective on both the regime's internal actions and external narratives surrounding the conflict.

Detailed Analysis

Sahar Delijani describes the pervasive fear felt by Iranians due to the Islamic Republic's violent repression, noting that this fear has been institutionalized over 40 years since the revolution. She details specific atrocities, such as the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners, including activists, writers, and union leaders, following the Iran-Iraq War in 1988, and the subsequent imprisonment of their children. Delijani recounts how this instilled a culture of silence, where even her family was afraid to speak about these events publicly. She criticizes external actors, including those in the West and the global left, who she argues often use narratives that serve their own political interests, such as claiming military intervention would bring democracy, which she strongly rejects. She also points out that the regime actively tries to discredit voices supporting secularism or Palestinian rights, labeling them as agents. Delijani emphasizes that the ongoing struggle is fundamentally internal, aimed at dismantling the regime's pervasive violence and hypocrisy, and that the Iranian people must continue to fight for their own freedom and democracy.