As the Islamic Republic deploys its final efforts to survive following the bloody crackdowns of January and the intense pressures of its war with the United States and Israel, it has abandoned repression as a mere tool, adopting it instead as its sole remaining strategy. This stark reality was dissected during a June 25 panel hosted by the Middle East Institute (MEI), which explored the technical dimensions and dark corridors of this domestic warfare.
Panelists, including former hostage Siamak Namazi, stressed that any potential agreements between Washington and Tehran must not come at the expense of ignoring human rights violations or the strangulation of Iranian civil society. They argued that centering human rights values is a fundamental test of Washington’s accountability toward liberal principles.
The Islamic Republic Dehumanizes Its Captives
The MEI event, titled “The Islamic Republic’s War on Its Own People,” was divided into two segments: eyewitnesses of state repression, and the current and future outlook of Iran. Through this dual approach, the institute aimed to expose the multidimensional process of dehumanization carried out by the state apparatus, making the current realities inside Iran’s prisons and streets tangible to an international audience.
