Q&A
Suzanne Maloney, Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour
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Source: Getty
In The Media
Iran's Protest and the Anniversary of the Islamic Republic
The 31st anniversary of the establishment of the Islamic Republic will provide another opportunity for demonstrations by the Iranian opposition movement, which must overcome not only the violent repression of the regime, but also divisions within its own ranks, if it is to achieve significant change in Iran.
Published on Feb 10, 2010
Source: The Diane Rehm Show
In spite of the restrictions the regime is placing on gatherings during the anniversary, the opposition is believed to be planning to protest on February 11. One of the problems the opposition faces is the generational and worldview gap between the leaders of the opposition and the young foot soldiers. The leadership figures, such as Mir Hussein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, have stated explicitly that they aim to work within the limits of the current constitution. They want to see reform. In contrast, the younger generation has begun to question the legitimacy of the system and the Supreme Leader, seeing him as a “king that wears a turban,” according to Sadjadpour.
The United States can play a role in aiding the opposition. It can offer “moral support and solidarity with the opposition, it can talk about universal principles of human rights and democracy, and let the Iranian people know they are on the right side of history,” notes Sadjadpour. Yet the U.S. government is limited, because it must also engage with the regime in regards to its nuclear program and other national security challenges, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan. One area in which the United States has already changed its rhetoric in response to the opposition is discussions of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program. Over the course of the last year, the Obama administration has reoriented its framing of sanctions, from “crippling” to “targeted.” This effort is meant to focus the repercussions of sanctions on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is responsible for much of Iran’s unpopular domestic and regional activities.
About the Author
Karim Sadjadpour
Senior Fellow, Middle East Program
Karim Sadjadpour is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he focuses on Iran and U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East.
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Carnegie India does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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