Besides crushing dissent, the former leader did little of note. Could a new president be different?
An Iranian woman votes at a polling station in Tehran during the parliamentary runoff elections on May 10, 2024.When Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter went missing in the mountains on May 19, authorities initially responded by urging the public not to worry.“ Khamenei said, ‘Don’t worry, everything will remain stable,’” one version went. “Nothing will change … because Raisi wasn’t actually responsible for anything.
Raisi leaned on these credentials during his 2021 campaign, which centered around the slogan, “Iran is a shrine.” The phrase was based on a quote from the will of Qasem Soleimani, the influential Revolutionary Guard commander assassinated on Donald Trump’s orders in 2020, that originally read: “Iran is a shrine, and if this one remains, so will all the others.” It references Shia shrines across the region, which have been bombed repeatedly by groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS — and evenby U.S.
Instead of improving the situation, Raisi oversaw violent crackdown after violent crackdown on those who resisted. This began in fall 2021, whenThe movement toward democratic reform that made slow and halting progress under Iran’s reformists reached a dead-end under Raisi. Most observers doubt this will happen. But the hope among reform-minded Iranians is that an unexpected candidate may emerge that could push for a new direction — greater civil and political rights and an opening toward diplomacy with the United States that could bring sanctions relief. A president who could encourage civil society and channel its energy, rather than repressing it, could signal a dramatic new era for Iran.
Raisi was the top candidate. But with his death, few viable alternatives exist. Khamenei has alienated so many Iranians and surrounded himself with yes-men such that few convincing or charismatic figures have risen through the clerical ranks, while dissenters have been silenced. If cracks appear in the succession process — or if Israel steps up its attempts to stir up domestic tensions with the help of figures like Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former shah and one of Israel’s public allies — these disputes could turn bloody. Iranian opposition figures abroad like Pahlavi repeatedly call for regime change, but they have no plan for achieving it besides foreign military intervention. And as the case of Iraq since 2003 shows, this is a recipe for disaster.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Oil prices dip amid Iran uncertainty, US rate jittersOil prices dip amid Iran uncertainty, US rate jitters
Read more »
Oil prices climb amid uncertainty over Iran president's fateOil prices climb amid uncertainty over Iran president's fate
Read more »
'No sign of life' at crash site of helicopter carrying Iran's president: Iran state TVIranian state media are reporting that rescuers have found a helicopter that was carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister and other officials that had apparently crashed in the mountainous northwest reaches of Iran the day before, though “no sign of life” was detected.
Read more »
'No sign of life' at crash site of helicopter carrying Iran's president: Iran state TVIranian state media are reporting that rescuers have found a helicopter that was carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister and other officials that had apparently crashed in the mountainous northwest reaches of Iran the day before, though “no sign of life” was detected.
Read more »
'No sign of life' at crash site of helicopter carrying Iran's president: Iran state TVIranian state media are reporting that rescuers have found a helicopter that was carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister and other officials that had apparently crashed in the mountainous northwest reaches of Iran the day before, though “no sign of life” was detected.
Read more »
'No sign of life' at crash site of helicopter carrying Iran's president: Iran state TVIranian state media are reporting that rescuers have found a helicopter that was carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister and other officials that had apparently crashed in the mountainous northwest reaches of Iran the day before, though “no sign of life” was...
Read more »