People of Iran Who Seek Change and Freedom

In recent years, Iranians have launched countless uprisings, each filled with hope and courage, only to be met with violent repression from the regime, and mainly indifference from abroad. Each wave of protests saw the regime's security forces killing thousands of demonstrators, and imprisoning and torturing many more. These movements have shown the strength of the Iranian people's resolve, but despite their cries for freedom, support from the West— usually merely vocal, about the ideals of democracy — has remained disappointingly muted.

In the eyes of many Iranians, this silence from democratic nations that supposedly champion human rights stands in intolerable contrast to their principles and has repeatedly left Iranian protesters feeling abandoned in their struggle.

During the 2022 nationwide protests, sparked by the hijab laws, many Iranians, especially young women, took to the streets to protest against mandatory veiling and other repressive policies. The movement represented not only a push against strict Islamic dress codes but also a broader rejection of the regime's authoritarian rule. Even as the crackdown unfolded— with the regime arresting, beating, and even murdering protesters — the Western response remained largely passive and inert, instead of offering robust support.

In 2009, the Green Movement had erupted in Iran after a questionable presidential election. Millions of Iranians filled the streets, while chanting slogans, waving banners…Protesters sought recognition from world leaders, particularly from the Obama administration in the United States and European leaders, in the hopes that these democratic nations would support their call for a fair electoral process and an end to oppression.

Protesters chanted, "Obama, are you with us or the mullahs?" — a direct plea for then U.S. President Barack Obama to take a stand. Yet, to the disappointment of many Iranians, Western leaders remained largely silent, choosing not to intervene or offer any real backing. Obama later admitted that his administration's silence during this critical period was a "mistake," but even then, mentioned only ineffectual, verbal support: "In retrospect, I think that was a mistake. Every time we see a flash, a glimmer of hope, of people longing for freedom, I think we have to point it out. We have to shine a spotlight on it. We have to express some solidarity about it."

While most democratic nations have hesitated to align themselves visibly with Iran's pro-democracy movements, one country has stood out as an unwavering ally of the Iranian people: Israel. Despite the longstanding enmity between Israel and Iran's regime, Israeli leaders have boldly supported the Iranian people's right to freedom and self-determination. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, called "The Churchill of the Middle East," has not only addressed Iran's nuclear threats -- when the US did not totally undermine Israel by leaking its plans beforehand -- but has reached out directly to Iranians through social media, encouraging them not to lose hope. "There's one thing Khamenei's regime fears more than Israel," Netanyahu declared in a message shared on X. "It's you – the people of Iran." He added: "They spend so much time and money trying to crush your hopes and curb your dreams. Don't let your dreams die. Don't lose hope, and know that Israel and others in the free world stand with you."

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21123/people-of-iran-seek-change