The Circus of “Fools, Frauds,& Firebrands” in Iran

The unprecedented Presidential Election registration process in Iran has concluded, marked by theatrical and irrational political behavior. The conduct and speech of the candidates have been a source of disgrace and regret for the estranged and angry Iranian society. None of the registrants in this circus considered the concerns, worries, or desires of the Iranian people.

Instead, their efforts were focused on reading absurd statements, populist slogans, incoherent remarks, or words meant to please the authorities. They demonstrated no concerns or solutions for the country’s crises and no intentions to alleviate the people’s suffering, merely pandering to the internal regime mafias.

These thugs are willing to go to any lengths, even engage in bloody attacks, to secure lucrative and profitable ministries. Most are content with becoming ministers or deputies in another’s cabinet. None of these political dwarfs possessed the principles and specific characteristics of a presidential candidate. They merely staged a show in front of reporters, posing as the president for moments in front of the cameras. In reality, they had nothing else to say. They all simply stated that the current situation in the country is chaotic. It was a repulsive and clumsy display of populism and demagoguery.

Starting next week, the Iranian people will be invited to another segment of this absurd show—the vulgar political debates on the regime’s TV, where the candidates will fight with each other. Probably, between six to eight candidates will emerge from the Guardian Council’s box, approved by Khamenei and the IRGC. The path to regime change, institutionalizing democracy, and eradicating the infection of corrupt mullahs and political mafias in Iran is long and requires more than ever the will and desire of the nation.

One notable example is Saeed Jalili, a rigid, radical, and fanatical thug who enjoys the support of like-minded followers in the Islamic Parliament and Khamenei’s residence. Jalili opposes any interaction with the civilized world and was the least successful person during the negotiation period, bringing numerous sanctions upon Iran. He is both a servant and a propagandist for the Islamic regime. He belongs to the Steadfastness Front of the Islamic Revolution, a conservative right-wing political group, partly comprised of former ministers from Ahmadinejad’s cabinet. This fanatic group, once led spiritually by Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, is willing to massacre all Iranians to preserve the mullah’s regime. With his potential arrival, Iran will sink deeper than ever into a mire and a tunnel of horror.

Another candidate likely to be approved by the Guardian Council is Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf, a senior commander of the IRGC involved in suppression. Supported by Khamenei and the IRGC, Qalibaf is willing to do anything to achieve his dream of becoming president, even committing crimes and massacring people. He is a bloodthirsty individual, loyal to Khamenei, opportunistic, and corrupt. A corrupt person, a thief, a friend of smugglers, a criminal, and an oppressor of students, Qalibaf becomes the head of the ineffective and submissive Islamic Revolutionary parliament. A thug from the IRGC, his only life’s pride is commanding the suppression of students and committing murders for the regime’s benefits.

Mostafa Pourmohammadi, another mass-murder icon, also smiled in front of the cameras, showing off without any plan, design, popularity, or influence. Like his colleague Raisi, Pourmohammadi is an illiterate, blustering criminal, a lawbreaker, and a bloodthirsty man. Khamenei needs someone who, in suppressing protesting people and in loyalty to the Islamic Caliphate of the Velayat-e faqih, refrains from committing no atrocity. The more murderous, corrupt, and oppressive you are, the more beloved you are by the Caliph of the Muslims. Pourmohammadi, a former colleague of Raisi in the execution committee, briefly registered for stand-up comedy to perhaps reach the election circus in Iran.

Iranian society is disoriented, disillusioned, dissatisfied, and defiant. A dormant anger has led to despair and a break with the ruling authority. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad‘s registration for the elections signifies nothing new, merely the ongoing strife among thugs, wolves, and the multi-layered mafia within the Islamic Caliphate. To warm up the cold electoral atmosphere and deceive public opinion, the regime’s propaganda machine has resorted to clownery. However, this show is futile. Freedom and human rights in Iran have been dead since 1979. Elections are not held; it’s a pledge of allegiance to Khamenei.

Ali Larijani, during his tenure as the head of state IRIB, aired security programs that paved the way for the character assassination and physical elimination of intellectuals, writers, and translators. He has played a significant role in the security policies and military operations of this savage regime. His unpopularity in Iranian public opinion stems from his actions as a member of the IRGC, a devout believer in Islamic terrorism, and his distance from the national spirit of the Iranian society.

The current elections and the infighting among the regime’s power factions, the IRGC, and Khamenei’s inner circle resemble a ridiculous and absurd show. It is a power struggle among wolves. Khamenei’s loyalists want to ensure that power remains in the hands of Mojtaba Khamenei. Various power factions are striving to ensure that the president aligns with and complies with Khamenei’s policies. For the Iranian people, these elections are meaningless, and they continue to boycott them. They know that whether the candidates are Larijani or Haqqanian, they represent the voice of repression and brutality of the regime and are symbols of the Islamic Republic.

In summary, this circus of “fools, frauds, and firebrands” is nothing but a deceitful and meaningless farce by the mullahs, having nothing to do with the honorable and noble people of Iran. Under Khamenei’s despotic rule, concepts like voting, the right to choose, and freedom of speech have no meaning.

Iranian rally in Los Angeles / Photo by Elham Sataki, Free for all platforms.

The Title of the op-ed is taken from a book “Fools, Frauds & Firebrands” written by Roger Scruton