Saman Yasin: Victim of Iran’s Brutality, a Warning of What Lies Ahead

The story of Saman Yasin—a young rapper from Kermanshah who dared to speak truth to power through his art—should chill anyone with a conscience. Arrested for the “crime” of expression, his brutal treatment by the Islamic Republic of Iran reveals the pathological cruelty of a regime that thrives on fear, hate, and violence. Yet, Yasin’s ordeal is more than a tragic case of individual suffering. It is a symbol of a regime that has, for decades, sustained itself through a calculated campaign of terror both at home and abroad.

In this context, the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as his father’s successor is not merely the continuation of a grim status quo—it represents the institutionalization of a deeper, more entrenched despotism. Mojtaba, known for his shadowy role in Iran’s security and intelligence apparatus, exemplifies the regime’s unwillingness to reform and its determination to double down on the repression that has become its hallmark.

Let us begin with Yasin himself, whose suffering is emblematic of the Islamic Republic’s modus operandi. A talented young artist, Yasin used his platform to voice the aspirations of a people suffocating under authoritarian rule. This act of defiance was enough to earn him a torrent of state-sanctioned violence. His arrest led to a series of tortures that would be unthinkable in any society with even a shred of decency: his nose shattered, his teeth broken, electric shocks applied to his body, mock executions staged to break his spirit. Twice, he was forcibly committed to Amin Abad mental hospital, where he endured drug torture aimed at destabilizing his mind.

Yasin’s suffering is not an aberration. It is the norm for a regime that views dissent not merely as a threat but as an existential challenge to its legitimacy. His art was not a weapon in the conventional sense, but the regime understood its power—a voice that could inspire, that could mobilize, that could shatter the carefully constructed façade of the Supreme Leader’s omnipotence. For this, Yasin was brutalized, his body and mind subjected to calculated acts of cruelty designed to extinguish both his resistance and his humanity.

The significance of Mojtaba Khamenei’s ascension cannot be overstated. This is not a leader rising through merit or popular acclaim, but a dynastic succession engineered to preserve and deepen the regime’s grip on power. Mojtaba is no mere figurehead. He is a man deeply enmeshed in the apparatus of repression, known for his influence over the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its paramilitary proxies. His appointment signals a clear message: the Islamic Republic is not seeking reform but consolidation.

Consider what this means in practical terms. Mojtaba has long been linked to the IRGC’s most notorious activities, from quelling domestic protests with brute force to overseeing operations abroad that spread the regime’s influence through terror and destabilization. Under his watch, the 2009 Green Movement—a mass uprising against electoral fraud—was crushed with a ferocity that left hundreds dead and thousands imprisoned. This is the man now poised to lead a regime that claims divine legitimacy while acting with all the barbarity of a mafia state.

The Islamic Republic’s brutality does not stop at its borders. At home, it crushes dissent with fists and truncheons. Abroad, it exports its ideology of hate through proxies and militias that destabilize the region. In Lebanon, Hezbollah operates as an arm of Tehran’s will, holding the Lebanese state hostage to its sectarian agenda. In Iraq, Iran-backed militias undermine any semblance of sovereignty, ensuring that Baghdad remains a vassal of Tehran. In Yemen, the Houthis have turned a civil war into a proxy conflict, prolonging suffering to serve Iran’s strategic aims.

And then there is the Islamic Republic’s unrelenting obsession with Israel. Tehran’s rhetoric—calling for the annihilation of the Jewish state—is not mere hyperbole. It funds and arms groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, ensuring that violence remains a perpetual reality for Israelis and Palestinians alike. This is not a regime seeking peace or even coexistence; it is one driven by a messianic vision in which Israel’s destruction is non-negotiable.

The hatred that fuels these actions abroad is the same hatred that Saman Yasin endured in prison. It is the hatred of a regime that cannot tolerate difference, whether it manifests in a Kurdish rapper’s lyrics or in the existence of a Jewish state. It is a hatred that permeates every facet of the Islamic Republic’s rule, from its domestic repression to its foreign policy.

For decades, the West has danced around the reality of the Islamic Republic. Diplomatic engagement has been prioritized over moral clarity, and geopolitical expediency has overshadowed the plight of the Iranian people. This approach has emboldened the regime, allowing it to deepen its repressive policies while expanding its influence across the Middle East.

Take, for example, the 2015 nuclear deal. While the agreement may have delayed Iran’s nuclear ambitions, it did nothing to address the regime’s human rights abuses or its regional aggression. Worse, it provided Tehran with financial resources that it used to fund its proxies and strengthen its security apparatus.

Meanwhile, the plight of individuals like Saman Yasin has been reduced to footnotes in international diplomacy. How many more artists, activists, and ordinary citizens must suffer before the world acknowledges the true nature of the regime it is dealing with?

A Shared Struggle Against Hate

The hate that sustains the Islamic Republic is not confined to Iran or the Middle East. It has found fertile ground in the West, where Tehran’s propaganda machine works tirelessly to spread antisemitism and anti-Zionism. On university campuses, in protests on city streets, the echoes of Tehran’s ideology can be heard loud and clear.

This should come as no surprise. A regime that tortures its own citizens, that funds terrorist groups, and that calls for the annihilation of a neighboring state is not content to limit its influence. It seeks to shape the world in its own image, using every tool at its disposal to do so.

Mojtaba Khamenei’s rise marks a pivotal moment. The international community can no longer afford to ignore the reality of the Islamic Republic. This is not a regime that can be reformed or contained. It is a regime that must be confronted.

Sanctions, diplomatic isolation, and targeted pressure on the IRGC and its leadership are not just necessary—they are urgent. More importantly, the voices of those fighting for freedom within Iran must be amplified. Saman Yasin’s story is not just one of suffering; it is one of resistance. It is a testament to the power of art and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable cruelty.

If we fail to act, we will not only betray the people of Iran but also embolden a regime that represents a threat to global stability and human dignity. The world cannot afford to stand idly by as Mojtaba Khamenei takes the reins of a tyranny that tortures, oppresses, and spreads hatred.

The struggle of Saman Yasin is the struggle of us all—a fight against hate, against oppression, and against the forces that seek to extinguish the light of freedom. Let us ensure that his voice, and the voices of millions like him, are not silenced. Let us act before it is too late.

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Written in collaboration with Alex Kennedy