Is the end of the current Islamic Iranian regime imminent?

[leonidas_alexandar]

Iran’s only female Olympic medallist said she defected from the Islamic Republic in a blistering online letter that describes herself as “one of the millions of oppressed women in Iran.”

Taekwondo athlete Kimia Alizadeh posted the letter on Instagram as Iran’s semiofficial ISNA news agency said she had fled to the Netherlands. She criticized wearing the mandatory hijab headscarf and accused officials in Iran of sexism and mistreatment.


“Whatever they said, I wore,” Alizadeh wrote in the letter posted Saturday. “Every sentence they ordered, I repeated.”

She described the decision to leave Iran as difficult, but necessary.

There was no immediate reaction from Iranian authorities. ISNA said Alizadeh had been reported injured and unable to compete. Their report suggested Alizadeh may try to compete under another nation’s flag at the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo.

Alizadeh, 21, won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.


Her defection comes amid unprecedentedly high tensions between Iran and the United States.

In recent years, many Iranian athletes have left their country, citing government pressure. In September, Saeed Mollaei, an Iranian judoka, left the country for Germany. He said Iranian officials had forced him to not compete with Israeli judoka.

Alireza Faghani, an Iranian international soccer referee, also left Iran for Australia last year.


https://globalnews.ca/news/6400804/iran-female-olympic-medal-flees-defects/

 

[MenInG]

Protests happening as well on the streets?

 

[JaDed]

Imploding.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

I am not sure if the regime itself is in imminent danger of falling but I must note that this is the first time I have seen reports of at least a section of Iranians refusing to walk over the US and Israeli flags while still opposing their foreign policies.

Also the first time I am seeing people chanting against the Ayatollah who is a very revered figured in the Shia world.

 

[Swashbuckler]

Possible successor of Magnus Carlsen, the prodigiously gifted Alireza Firouzja too recently decided to stop playing for Iran. He now plays under the FIDE flag and plans to make the switch to French federation this year. The reason he gave was Iranian regime's ban on playing Israeli players and refusal to host Jewish players or even allow mingling. Since Israelis and Jews are disproportionately represented in the game of chess and some of his own trainers and mentors being Jews he decided enough is enough. A big loss because he is the real deal, too much talent drain from Iran, even that famous lady Fields medalist Maryam Mirzakhani who passed away recently at a young age.

A warning to Modi's India as well, talent can never be nurtured in an environment of hatred and divisiveness.

 

[Savak]

The conditions which existed in Iran which led to the uprising against the Shah and his family in 1978-79 no longer exists, the present Iranian generation desires some level of freedom now

 

[Manager101]

Same old method of so called 'Arab Spring' in the name of 'democracy' by same 'forces' some years back using the excuse of Ukraine aeroplane tragedy.

For the betterment of Middle-east but later controlled by Puppets and further inflation. A new member nation to be installed for IMF traps. Nothing new to see here.

 

[AdamM97]

It will be the end of Iran if they can’t find a way past US sanctions that are already crippling their population.

 

[AdamM97]

The conditions which existed in Iran which led to the uprising against the Shah and his family in 1978-79 no longer exists, the present Iranian generation desires some level of freedom now

The frustration and anger are more about the economic conditions rather than about freedom.

Some people who mourned on Soleimanis funeral were also protesting against the government today.

 

[Saeed]

Lets hope so, there is no chance of peace in the region as long as this incompetent Iranian government is in power.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Protests happening as well on the streets?

They are asking for people to be held accountable for shooting down the plane, not removal of government or Ayatollah's.

The Iranians aren't stupid, they know western powers will continue state terrorism against them until they have a puppet government. So the current system of rule will continue.

 

[dildilpak]

They are asking for people to be held accountable for shooting down the plane, not removal of government or Ayatollah's.

The Iranians aren't stupid, they know western powers will continue state terrorism against them until they have a puppet government. So the current system of rule will continue.

Read the news again- They definitely were protesting against Ayatollah. Looks like they are humiliated by the incompetence of their own regime in shooting down the plane.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Read the news again- They definitely were protesting against Ayatollah. Looks like they are humiliated by the incompetence of their own regime in shooting down the plane.

I've read it thanks. Can you show me a large percentage, relevant percentage of the Iranian population want the supreme leader to step down or this system to end?

 

[sweep_shot]

Don't think it will end unless USA invades Iran or something.

 

[Robert]

They are asking for people to be held accountable for shooting down the plane, not removal of government or Ayatollah's.

The Iranians aren't stupid, they know western powers will continue state terrorism against them until they have a puppet government. So the current system of rule will continue.

Sadly I must agree. They remember Mossadech and then the Shah.

While no doubt many of the people want a less authoritarian regime - boatloads of single male refugees turn up on our shores, seeking a more liberal nation where they can drink and chase girls - perhaps the majority only want whoever fired on the airliner brought to justice.

 

[MenInG]

Police in the Iranian capital, Tehran, have denied using live ammunition against protesters outraged by the shooting down of a Ukrainian airliner.

Officers had been given orders to "show restraint", the chief of police said.

Spoiler

Videos posted online on Sunday recorded what appeared to be gunfire and showed an injured woman being carried away.

Protests erupted on Saturday, after Iran admitted firing missiles by mistake at the Ukraine International Airlines jet that crashed near Tehran.

All 176 people on board flight PS752, mostly Iranians and Canadians, were killed.

For the first three days after the crash, Iran denied that its armed forces had shot down the plane and suggested there had been a technical failure.

The admission of responsibility, which came after video emerged of a missile appearing to hit the plane, provoked widespread anger in Iran against the ruling establishment.

Days earlier, Iranians had been united in grief over the killing of Gen Qasem Soleimani, their country's second most powerful man, in a US drone strike in Iraq.

The latest reports of a possible crackdown echo the protests in Iran in November over rising fuel prices. Human rights groups say scores of people were killed.

What happened at the weekend protests?

Sunday's demonstrations went on late into the night, as people vented their fury against the Iranian government and the powerful Revolutionary Guards, who shot down the Ukrainian plane.

Iranians' anger with the regime came to the fore once again after the authorities shot down a civilian aircraft killing 176 on board.

Another video shows an injured woman being carried away by people who shout that she has been shot in the leg. A pool of blood is seen on the ground.

Despite such footage, Tehran police chief Brig-Gen Hossein Rahimi insisted that his officers did not fire live ammunition at protesters, as security forces did when cracking down on mass anti-government demonstrations in November.

"The police treated the people who had gathered with patience and tolerance," he said, before warning that "those who intend to manipulate the situation" would face consequences.

Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei meanwhile dismissed as "crocodile tears" US President Donald Trump's expressions of support for the protesters.

Prominent Iranians also added their voices to the protests.

The captain of the national men's volleyball team, Said Marouf, wrote on Instagram about "oppression" in Iran. In an apparent reference to the shooting down of the plane, he said he hoped Iran has seen its "last show" of "deceit and stupidity".

And one of Iran's most famous actresses, Taraneh Alidoosti, posted that Iranians were being treated not as citizens but as "hostages".

Over the weekend Iran's only female Olympic medallist said she had defected.

What's the latest on flight PS752?
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a memorial service for the 57 Canadian victims that their country would "not rest until we get the accountability, justice, and closure that the families deserve".


Media caption"We need full clarity on how such a horrific tragedy could have occurred"
The Iranian government meanwhile denied there had been a cover-up.

"On these sad days, numerous criticisms were raised against the country's officials; some of us have been accused of lying and secrecy. But honestly it was not like that," spokesman Ali Rabiei told reporters on Monday.

"The reality is that we did not lie," he added, blaming "a lack of valid information" and also "the US's psychological warfare" for his own and other officials' denials that the plane was shot down.

Mr Rabiei insisted that senior officials, including President Hassan Rouhani", did not know that missiles had been launched at the airliner until Friday evening.

However, the Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Commander, Brig-Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, had said when admitting the military's role in the "unintentional" strike that he had informed "officials" about it on Wednesday.

Gen Hajizadeh said on Saturday that Iran's air defences had been on the highest state of alert because the Revolutionary Guards had just fired ballistic missiles at US bases in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of Soleimani.

The operator of a missile defence system near Tehran's airport mistook flight PS752 for a US missile and due to problems with a communication system was unable to contact the command centre, according to the general.

"He had 10 seconds to decide," he added. "He could have decided to strike or not to strike, and under such circumstances he took the wrong decision."

President Rouhani called the incident an "unforgivable mistake" and promised that those responsible would be identified and prosecuted.

In a separate development on Monday, the UK Foreign Office summoned Iran's ambassador in London following the detention of his British counterpart in Tehran after he attended a vigil for victims of the Ukrainian plane crash.

The CEO of Canadian company Maple Leaf Foods, Michael McCain, meanwhile criticised the US government for escalating tensions in the Middle East in the days before the crash, in which he said a colleague lost his wife and family.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51090637

 

[troodon]

Hopefully the Mullah regime falls and peoples democracy takes its place.

Iran is a beautiful country oppressed by the crazy Ayotollahs.

 

[troodon]

They are asking for people to be held accountable for shooting down the plane, not removal of government or Ayatollah's.

The Iranians aren't stupid, they know western powers will continue state terrorism against them until they have a puppet government. So the current system of rule will continue.

Why do you think any democratically elected Government is a puppet government?

Do you think this Mullah regime is better than the peoples mandate?

 

[CricketCartoons]

Hopefully the Mullah regime falls and peoples democracy takes its place.

Iran is a beautiful country oppressed by the crazy Ayotollahs.

I hope Iran never falls to democracy sponsored by america. That will be the end of this beautiful country and civilization.

 

[troodon]

I hope Iran never falls to democracy sponsored by america. That will be the end of this beautiful country and civilization.

Explain please.

 

[khanz141]

Explain please.

Thinking more recently of Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Lybia etc..

None of those are people elected governments.

 

[troodon]

Thinking more recently of Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Lybia etc..

None of those are people elected governments.

Weren't elections conducted there and people voted? If there was rigging involved, at least people can do something about it in 4-5 years time. Can't say the same about Mullah regimes.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Why do you think any democratically elected Government is a puppet government?

Do you think this Mullah regime is better than the peoples mandate?

Where did I write any?

The last democratic government was overthrown by the Yanks and replaced by a dictator, try reading some history.

 

[troodon]

Where did I write any?

The last democratic government was overthrown by the Yanks and replaced by a dictator, try reading some history.

Are you talking about Iran?

 

[KingKhanWC]

Are you talking about Iran?

It is the topic of the thread.

 

[Tubs]

As much as I hate theocracy (especially Shariah and Mosaic law, absolute draconian nonsense), I don't want the regime to collapse because the US wants it to. I'm sick of the US being the arbiter of good and evil. I agree that secularism is the best system, and the West is the best place to live, but I have huge objections to many of the powerful Western country's foreign policies.

The Iranians are well-educated people, I really hope a successful coup occurs without the US interfering.

 

[minamino]

Hopefully. I feel bad for overseas Persians while they are very liberal, The country is on backwards trajectory

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Hopefully. I feel bad for overseas Persians while they are very liberal, The country is on backwards trajectory

If overseas Persians represented their home country, it would probably be called Persia rather than Iran. If the liberals were in power then you would probably find western countries offering refuge to thousands more mullahs like Khomeini.

 

[MenInG]

European powers have triggered a formal dispute mechanism over Iran's breaches of key parts of the 2015 nuclear deal - a move that could spell its end.

Iran has gradually lifted all limits on its production of enriched uranium, which can be used to make reactor fuel but also nuclear weapons.

It has said it is entitled to do so in response to sanctions reinstated by the US when it abandoned the deal in 2018.

France, Germany and the UK said they did not accept Iran's argument.

The deal saw Iran, which insists that its nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes, agree to limit its sensitive activities and allow in inspectors in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions.
President Donald Trump reinstated US sanctions to force Iran to negotiate a new agreement that would place indefinite curbs on its nuclear programme and also halt its development of ballistic missiles. Iran has so far refused.

The other parties to the deal - the three European powers plus China and Russia - have tried to keep it alive. But the sanctions have caused Iran's oil exports to collapse and the value of its currency to plummet, and sent its inflation rate soaring.

Tensions between Iran and the West have also escalated as a result of a series of attacks in the Gulf region that the US has blamed on Iran and its proxies, as well as a US drone strike in Iraq this month that killed top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51104579

 

[Robert]

As much as I hate theocracy (especially Shariah and Mosaic law, absolute draconian nonsense), I don't want the regime to collapse because the US wants it to. I'm sick of the US being the arbiter of good and evil. I agree that secularism is the best system, and the West is the best place to live, but I have huge objections to many of the powerful Western country's foreign policies.

The Iranians are well-educated people, I really hope a successful coup occurs without the US interfering.

It would have a large proportion of the military to agree with a revolution.

 

[IMMY69]

It would have a large proportion of the military to agree with a revolution.

It’s highly unlikely because the Revolutionary Guard is made up of largely foreign mercenaries who have zero love for the country or its people.

Iran is what Syria or Iraq would have been if ISIS had won,
Only in Iran it’s the Shia equivalent.

 

[minamino]

Kimia Alizadeh: Iran's only female Olympic medallist defects

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-51084620

 

[khanz141]

Weren't elections conducted there and people voted? If there was rigging involved, at least people can do something about it in 4-5 years time. Can't say the same about Mullah regimes.

you mean puppet governments who are just put up on these countries' because they will obey. None of the citizens' votes counted.

Egypt - Morsi wins the election, but because he wanted to implement his policies and not obey western orders, he was thrown out and replaced by military dictator

Afghanistan - I think the most votes in any election were like less than a million(and even that is rigged number) and that too after some 20 years. You really think someone like Karzai was there to represent the people for like 10 years. Not even a single person would vote for him. The country has no economy, no governance, no military, has no future.

Lybia - The country is dusted, and it used to be pretty well off

Iraq - Still has no proper government, economy, or army after 15+ years. Civil wars are ripe everywhere. The government tells US to leave, but what value does that resolution hold? nothing really on the world stage as no one will listen, It's a joke.

 

[miandadrules]

The regime is more likely to be overthrown internally.

There is growing discontent with the Mullahs.

There were significant protests late last year.

 

[kk1992]

The regime is more likely to be overthrown internally.

There is growing discontent with the Mullahs.

There were significant protests late last year.

Millions at the funeral of Sulemani say otherwise.

I do not think regime will be overthrown internally and Iranian will not tolerate US interfering in their internal matters, they have already experience that and will avoid it at any cost, hence the millions in multiple cities at the funeral.

The current protest is in hundreds.

 

[miandadrules]

Millions at the funeral of Sulemani say otherwise.

I do not think regime will be overthrown internally and Iranian will not tolerate US interfering in their internal matters, they have already experience that and will avoid it at any cost, hence the millions in multiple cities at the funeral.

The current protest is in hundreds.

Sulemani was perceived as not being part of the domestic regime. Hence, not culpable for the suppression the government partakes in.

 

[minamino]

Javad Zarif is the biggest tool in Iranian regime. He treats Khamanei as if he's infallible, I wonder why people from Muslim countries allow such behaviour where a person is treated as if he's above humanity

 

[Manager101]

you mean puppet governments who are just put up on these countries' because they will obey. None of the citizens' votes counted.

Egypt - Morsi wins the election, but because he wanted to implement his policies and not obey western orders, he was thrown out and replaced by military dictator

Afghanistan - I think the most votes in any election were like less than a million(and even that is rigged number) and that too after some 20 years. You really think someone like Karzai was there to represent the people for like 10 years. Not even a single person would vote for him. The country has no economy, no governance, no military, has no future.

Lybia - The country is dusted, and it used to be pretty well off

Iraq - Still has no proper government, economy, or army after 15+ years. Civil wars are ripe everywhere. The government tells US to leave, but what value does that resolution hold? nothing really on the world stage as no one will listen, It's a joke.

Exactly. The middle-eastern masses still haven't learned from the after-effects of those so called 'Arab Spring' sponsored by US in the name of 'Democracy' which is actually 'Puppetocracy'.

 

[MenInG]

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is to lead Friday prayers in the capital Tehran - the first time he has done so in eight years.

It comes in the wake of widespread angry protests over the Ukrainian passenger plane shot down by Iran's military last week.

Iran's leadership is also under pressure over a sharp downturn in the economy brought on by US sanctions.

On Wednesday, President Hassan Rouhani appealed for national unity.

But in a rare sign of friction within the Iranian regime, Mr Rouhani called on the military to give a full account of how it shot down the plane.

The Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800, travelling to Kyiv and carrying many passengers on their way to Canada, crashed shortly after taking off from Tehran with the loss all 176 lives on board.

Iran faces watershed moment
Plane crash victims 'were the best of us'
What we know about flight PS752
For three days Iranian authorities denied any responsibility but after international pressure, the hardline Revolutionary Guards admitted that the plane had been mistaken for a "cruise missile" during heightened tensions with the US.

Hours before, Iranian missiles had targeted two airbases in Iraq housing US forces.

That rocket attack was in response to a US drone strike in Baghdad that killed senior Iranian general Qasem Soleimani.

What's happening in Iran?
Iran's Mehr news agency said Ayatollah Khamenei, aged 80, would lead this week's Friday Muslim prayers in Tehran's Mosalla mosque, but did not link the event to the current situation.

It quoted officials as saying "the Iranian nation will once again demonstrate their unity and magnificence".

The last time Ayatollah Khamenei led Friday prayers in Tehran was in 2012 on the 33rd anniversary of the country's Islamic Revolution.

Leading Friday prayers in the capital is a symbolically significant act usually reserved for times when Iran's highest authority wishes to deliver an important message, says Mehdi Khalaji of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Historically, Iranian leaders have left this task to loyal clerics with strong oratorical skills, he adds.

Social media footage from several funerals held for victims on Thursday showed mourners chanting slogans against the authorities.

Iran has arrested several people over the plane crash and President Rouhani said the investigation would be overseen by a "special court", noting that "the whole world will be watching".

His Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, acknowledged that Iranians had been "lied to" for days but insisted the government was also kept in the dark.

The Iranian authorities have faced growing pressure on other fronts. The country's economy is struggling under crippling US sanctions and a nuclear deal it signed with world powers looks close to collapse.

Last year, violent protests erupted across the country after the government unexpectedly announced it was rationing petrol and increasing its price.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51140806