The Iranian Regime has now entered its 40th year, which many hoped never to see happen. However, the Regime is embroiled in domestic and foreign crises and it is likely that it will not see its 40th birthday in February 2019.
Iran’s state-run media brags of widespread support for the Regime among Iranians, but the popular people’s protest and the latest comments from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei show how weak the Regime is.
The Iranian people are protesting political and economic corruption and Khamenei acknowledges that it is “difficult” to fight corruption, belying that it is rampant in the Regime.
In fact, the Regime is so weak right now that Khamenei is refusing to talk about another crisis that is looming over the Regime: Donald Trump’s 120-day ultimatum on the Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA. The Regime even appears to have lost support in Europe as the Europeans are cooperating with the US with regards to Iran’s regional meddling and ballistic missile programme.
Heshmat Alavi, wrote on Al Arabiya: “Khamenei’s silence is very meaningful and will be devastating for his regime in the near future.”
Corruption
There is no getting around it. The Iranian Regime is one of the most corrupt states in the world, both politically and economically.
Even Iranian politicians like Vice President Es’hagh Jahangiri and head of Iran’s Expediency Council Ahmad Tavakoli are forced to admit that corruption in the Regime is “systematic”. Tavakoli even cites it as the thing that will bring down the Regime.
Trump’s threats
With Trump threatening to pull the plug on the nuclear deal and Europe pulling away from the Iranian Regime, the mullahs now appear to be more willing to discuss their interference in the affairs of other Middle Eastern countries (including the funding of terrorist groups) and their ballistic missile programme in a desperate attempt to keep the JCPOA in place.
Many in the Regime oppose these talks, especially in the Khamenei faction, but they cannot deny that they don’t have the option to ignore this. Europe may want to preserve the JCPOA for trade reasons, but they would rather access the US market than the Iranian one if forced to chose.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has also been visiting other Middle Eastern nations, like Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt and Kuwait, with Iran as a key talking point, which could mean more regional pressure on the mullahs.
Could this be the end of the Regime?
Alavi wrote: “With Iran protests taking a toll on the regime – as seen on Sunday with many cities witnessing people boycotting pro-regime rallies and protesters hitting the streets at night – and increasing word of banks going bankrupt, the months ahead look grim for Iran. This regime understands better than anyone that the public’s increasing wrath will be demanding, and it is using the JCPOA, its regional influence and ballistic missile program to bargain with the international community.”
It seems very likely that the Regime will soon be over.
Source » ncr-iran