How unlikely Iranian activists are undermining Iran’s regime ahead of Friday’s elections.
By MARCO GIANNANGELI, Defence and Diplomatic Editor, Originally published in London Express, July 24, 2024
BY day, they are office workers and school teachers; ordinary citizens who struggle to make their salaries stretch to cover basic necessities in a heavily sanctioned country where inflation runs at a punishing 43 per cent.
But by night they become the thorn in the side of Iran’s fundamentalist regime: activists who risk their very lives to organise ways of undermining Iran’s theocracy to remind Iranians that there is another way.
And, with presidential elections this week to decide who should become president of Iran following the unexpoected death of “Butcher of Tehran” Ebrahim Raisi, they have never been busier.
Tara has spent the past week tearing down posters of presidential candidates and replacing them with those supporting the exiled opposition group People’s Mujahedin of Iran (MEK).
Banned literature including leaflets, pamphlets and posters is printed at great risk by secret supporters across the city.
“I have to admit I stayed completely away from politics for most of my life. I led a normal life like any Iranian woman – like many of my friends,” said the 30-year-old last night from her home in Isfahan,
“But that changed during the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests. It’s as if the pressure had been building up and building up and finally it just became too much. “
Located around 270 miles south of Iran’s capital, Tehran, Isfahan was traditionally famed for its palaces, tiled mosques and minarets.
Now Iran’s third biggest city has become more commonly associated with military industry and development of the country’s nuclear weapons.
“We have have spent the last few nights finding suitable sights for anti-regime posters and putting them up,” she said.
“One has been torn down by regime agents, but the others are still there and people are looking at them.”
With elections in the offing, city walls are plastered with posters of candidates. Much is being made of so-called “reformist” Masoud Pezeshkian, the 70-year-old former combat medic who is endorsed by all of Iran’s moderate groups.
His inclusion by the 12-strong Guardian Council on the list of approved candidates raised eyebrows, and has been taken in some quarters outside of Iran as a tacit admission that Raisi’s hardline policies went too far.
But inside Iran, most aren’t swayed.
Last week Pezeshkian admitted his real objective was to prevent the regime’s biggest fear – low turnout – which prevents the Iran’s government from proclaiming to outside states that it is loved.
“I joined this election to generate enthusiasm for participation against enemies watching us,” said Pezeshkian.
“If people don’t show up, our country will be at risk.”
According to research conducted by NCRI, only 8.2 per cent – 5 million people – voted in March’s legislative elections. Even inflated official figures had turnout at 41 per cent – 25 million people – which is still the lowest number since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Many ballots were spoiled
“The regime is trying to fool us into believing that Pezeshkian is a reformer,’ she said.
“They need him to appear different from Raisi, who was a fanatic who used uncompromising policies against us. They know these policies failed to control Iranians following the Amini protests
“But we know the truth: there is no difference between Pezeshkian and the others. They are all hardliners who exist only to fulfil the will of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, without whose direct permission nothing can happen.” READ MORE