The latest protests in Iran are — more than ever before — signaling ripe conditions for regime change, domestically and internationally. Freedom and democracy for the Iranian people, parallel to peace and stability in the Middle East and across the globe, can only be guaranteed with a change in Iran.
After more than three decades of perseverance in the face of oppression, execution and plundering the country’s wealth to support terrorism and expand extremism in other countries, and propping the Assad dictatorship in Syria, the Iranian people and their organized resistance have launched and are continuing a nonstop, nationwide uprising across Iran, with the objective of overthrowing the mullahs’ dictatorship.
The shameful appeasement policy, especially after what the world witnessed during eight years of the Obama administration, must be set aside by all civilized countries, and thus take steps to halt the Iranian regime in its crackdown against the Iranian people and nations across the region.
The support of U.S. President Donald Trump and other senior administration officials for the Iranian demonstrators is a positive step in backing the Iranian people and seeking to realize this uprisings’ objective. These messages of support need to be complemented with practical measures.
President Trump tweeted: “Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration. The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!”
Vice President Pence tweeted: “As long as Donald Trump is POTUS and I am VP, the United States of America will not repeat the shameful mistake of our past when others stood by and ignored the heroic resistance of the Iranian people as they fought against their brutal regime. The bold and growing resistance of the Iranian people today gives hope and faith to all who struggle for freedom and against tyranny. We must not and we will not let them down.”
“Iranian protesters demand a free republic which respects its citizens’ equality and is based on separation of religion and state, where they can stay unharmed by poverty, unemployment and illness,” Rajavi said, calling on the Iranian people to continue their struggle aimed at toppling the regime.
In a positive step, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has called for an emergency Security Council session on Iran. It is necessary for Security Council member states adopt firm decisions against the corrupt dictatorship mullahs’ regime ruling Iran to prevent the killing of Iranian protesters, who have risen for freedom and democracy, at the hands of the Revolutionary Guards and other security forces.
These measures include:
1. Recognizing and establishing relations with the Iranian people’s organized resistance, the National Council of Resistance of Iran.
2. Considering the fact that the Iranian regime severely disrupts access to the internet in prelude to increasing crackdown, establishing internet connection for the Iranian people in allowing them voice their opinions to the outside world.
3. Imposing new and harsh sanctions targeting individuals and entities involved in censorship and crackdown of the Iranian people’s uprising. Current developments indicate the Iranian people’s determination to overthrow this regime. Regime change in Iran will not only guarantee freedoms based on the UN Charter and democracy in Iran, but will also relieve people across the globe of an entity known as the godfather of extremism.
The United Nations member states’ approach vis-à-vis the Iranian people’s uprising will establish the principles of relations between the Iranian people and other countries in the free Iran of tomorrow without the mullah dictators.
Shahriar Kia is an Iranian dissident and a political analyst writing about Iran and the Middle East.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of The Daily Caller.