President Trump recently urged the Iranian people to “take over [their] government” once the US-Israel-led campaign on Iran has ended. If only it were that easy.
The Islamic Republic has spent decades ensuring that Iran’s citizens cannot unite against it. It has intentionally divided the people and deliberately created leadership vacuums. Any movement building has been defeated through the most brutal violence.
Regime change in Iran cannot happen with a wave of a magic wand, or even with force alone. The selection of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as his successor underscores how entrenched Iran’s political system remains. Real change in Iran will come from its people and from the courageous dissidents who have already put their lives on the line to push for change.
For years, those very people have been rounded up and detained, or forced into exile. Many were already imprisoned or under constant surveillance long before the strikes began; others were detained as soon as they happened.
