Iran’s Supreme Leader and his fear of overthrow

By Mahdavi

In his New Year speech on March 21, Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, showed his fear of the outburst of the popular anger due to the economic crisis, inflation, and high costs. He focused on the economy as the core problem of his regime. Referring to the dire livelihood condition of the people in recent months he claimed that some of the problems must be compensated for.        

The promise of ‘compensation’ is the known tactic of all corrupt dictators in the brink of their overthrow. Khamenei, out of fear and adversity, minimizes 40 years of failure to only a few months and expects the people who had chanted “death to dictator” and “Shame on you Khamenei” in the uprisings to believe his promise of “compensation”.

Pointing to the previous Iranian year, Khamenei said: “The enemies devised many plans. They had many plots”, “According to their own words – ‘unprecedented’ sanctions were imposed by the United States and Europe,” however, he claimed that they received “a solid and powerful response”. One step further, being caught in impasse, he revealed that this claim was nothing but rhetoric and added: “They might make all the hubbub for 1397 (March 2018-March 2019) but the actual plan will be for 1398, we must be cautious”

Iran’s Supreme Leader says Europe has practically pulled out of the nuclear agreement with Iran (JCPOA). Khamenei called INSTEX (Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges) a “meaningless” measure and “a bitter joke.” He said that only expects “backstabbing and treason” from Western European countries.

In addition to expressing his fear about the economic, security, political and intelligence warfare, Iran’s Supreme Leader, acknowledged the danger of a military warfare for the first time, and said: “I say that we must establish a deterrent system so that the enemies who occasionally desire a military attack find that, that’s not possible, that is what deterrent means.”

AFP reported that in his New Year message, Khamenei called the country’s economic situation its most serious and primary problem.

The news agency added that, “Iran has faced increased economic hardship in the last 12 months which was aggravated after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal last May,”

According to the AFP, the IMF reported that the Iranian economy has slumped in recession in 2018 and forecasted a 3.6 percent decline in the country’s GDP for 2019.

Iran’s Supreme Leader is more aware than all the regime’s officials that, 1398 is the year of his regime’s failure in solving social and economic problems. Most importantly, Khamenei is afraid of a military conflict while, he had emphasized before that there would be no war. Indeed, the Iranian people are determined to topple this suppressive regime. Since the beginning of the nationwide uprisings at the end of 2017, the protests, strikes and social dissents have been trending upward day by day. And now after the recent devastating floods which proved how incapable this regime is and how little it cares about its people, Khamenei and his regime must await more protests and uprisings which, with the guidance of the Resistance Units (MEK network inside Iran) will inevitably lead to its downfall.

Mahdavi is a Journalist, Reporter, and Opposition Activist to the Iranian regime.

You can follow him on Twitter @mahdavi85