Instead of engaging in dialogue with the people, the government has resorted to repression. Reports suggest that Iran’s President, Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, had proposed initiating talks with the public, but this suggestion was rejected by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who instead chose a path of intensified repression. According to available reports, more than 3,000 people have been killed so far, including over 100 security personnel. The government has now also begun moving towards legally sanctioned executions, a step that is likely to further aggravate the crisis.

Historically, Iran has been a liberal society and has produced some of the world’s most renowned poets and thinkers who conveyed powerful messages of love, humanism, and compassion. Among the most prominent are Hafez, Saadi, Rumi, and Ferdowsi.

Before the present regime came to power, Iran was ruled by Reza Shah Pahlavi. With active support from the United States, he overthrew the democratically elected Prime Minister, Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh, and consolidated his authority. Unsurprisingly, he aligned himself closely with U.S. interests, and Iran’s oil resources came under the control of American companies. This generated widespread resentment among the Iranian people. Various forces opposed the Shah’s rule, including communists, progressive liberals, and Islamic fundamentalists. During my own MBBS studies, Iranian students studying alongside me often shared these realities.

In 1979, Islamic fundamentalists, under the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini, seized power and declared Iran an Islamic state. Islamic laws were enforced, and severe repression was unleashed against political opponents. Killings and executions became common, even women were not spared. In the early years, rigidity reached such extremes that even personal clothing was strictly regulated. Men were prohibited from wearing half-sleeved shirts, while women were forced to wear the Hijab, cover their arms fully, and don long coats. Women who did not comply were publicly humiliated, including having their hair forcibly cut in marketplaces.

The Burqa—locally referred to as the Chador—had earlier been worn by many women out of choice, but following the establishment of Islamic rule, its use increased dramatically. Prior to this period, both men and women had shown a strong inclination towards Western culture. Singing and dancing were also banned by the fundamentalist regime. Despite these restrictions, modern education expanded significantly, and women continued to access higher education, even at advanced levels.

When I visited Iran in 2016 and again in 2018, I was struck by the fundamentally liberal temperament of the Iranian people. Although today nearly 99 percent of Iran’s population is Muslim, the remaining one percent includes Baháai, Jews, Christians, and atheists. There are several ethnic groups such as Azaaris, Kurds and Balouchs. Under the current system, parliamentary seats have been reserved for these minorities. However, as is typical of fundamentalist Theocratic regimes, repression has remained an enduring feature of governance. In response, women led significant protests in 2022, and today the country is witnessing even larger mass mobilisations.

During my second visit to Iran I visited Shiraz, where tour of ancient museums revealed that historically there was no veil or purdah system in Iran. Restrictions on women’s clothing were minimal, underscoring the fact that compulsory veiling has never been culturally rooted in Iranian society. It is therefore unsurprising that Iranian women have consistently resisted such impositions and organised large-scale protests against them.

At present, Iran is experiencing a climate of acute instability. Exploiting this situation, the Trump administration appears eager to intervene—directly or indirectly. When Israel launched its assault on Gaza, resulting in the massacre of over 60,000 people, Trump showed little concern. Yet now, citing state repression in Iran, his administration seeks to overthrow the Iranian government and install a regime aligned with U.S. interests. Given recent developments, this should not come as a surprise. Trump orchestrated the abduction of Venezuela’s president from his own country and has since issued threats against Cuba, Colombia, and Brazil.

He has spoken openly about occupying or purchasing Greenland. Economically, he has destabilised the global system by imposing selective tariffs on various countries. India, too, has come under immense pressure, compelling its government to halt oil imports from Russia. In this context, Trump’s actions risk generating severe global tensions. During Israel’s attacks, Trump also attempted to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities through airstrikes, but these efforts failed. Now, he openly encourages protesters to continue demonstrations, claiming that external assistance is forthcoming, while projecting the Shah of Iran’s son as a political alternative.

The situation is therefore taking an extremely grave turn. On one side stands Iran’s fundamentalist and repressive state apparatus; on the other stands Trump, whose objective appears to be the plundering of global resources to enrich himself and his corporate interests.

The United Nations has become virtually irrelevant. The Non-Aligned Movement was effectively abandoned by the Indian government long ago. Institutions such as BRICS are still in their formative stages. In such circumstances, there is a glaring absence of forces capable of stabilising the world and resisting Trump’s bullying and unilateralism.

While the internal situation in Iran is undoubtedly serious, it remains an internal matter that the Iranian people must resolve themselves. Imperialist intervention will only deepen the crisis and push the region—and the world—towards greater instability. Unwillingness of several Arab countries in the middle East to allow their air space to the US to be used against Iran can be a factor to refrain the US to launch an attack from there basis in these countries. (IPA Service)