Mehdi Nasiri: The Grand Narrative of the Islamic Republic is Over

Mehdi Nasiri, former editor-in-chief of Kayhan newspaper, said the grand narrative of the Islamic Republic has ended.

In an interview with Didar News on the Asal 27 program, Mehdi Nasiri referred to the protests, the pressure imposed by the regime on the people, and the death of Mahsa Amini because of her hijab, saying: "You launched the ill-fated Ershad patrol, the death of Mahsa, the subsequent murders and massacres, the crimes you committed, but you still haven't given up."

In response to the question, “Why is the Islamic Republic not giving up?” he said: “There are several reasons for this issue. One of them is that the grand narrative of the republic has ended and its work is done. What is the grand narrative? The slogan of independence and freedom of the Islamic Republic is the grand narrative of the Islamic Republic, but where is the freedom? Nothing is free, the press, society, media, and… none of them are free. You have imprisoned a journalist whose job is to prepare news and deliver it to society for months for publishing the news about Mahsa Amini. This is not freedom.

Why did you reprimand Mr. Roustaei, who made the film Leila's Brothers? Because he insulted the sacred? He only made a criticism that you took upon yourself, and how ridiculously you accused this director and sent him to Qom to receive artistic training. This is the freedom you are talking about.

The second is independence. Are you independent? You have been shouting all this slogan of neither East nor West, but now you are in the lap of the Russians and the Chinese are dictating to you, and in the worst way you are exchanging oil for food with the Americans, whom you always shouted against. Is this called independence?

The next thing is the republic. Do you have a republic in your society? Is the election result a sign of a republic? The people's votes and the republic are meaningless in relation to the principle of the absolute guardianship of the jurist. When the guardianship of the jurist can bypass everything, what is the meaning of a republic or elections? Elections are only for the showcase of the system.

"The next thing is Islam. Where did you practice Islam? Where did you defend the deprived and the people? You have plunged all the people into poverty and misery, even destroying the middle class. Double-digit inflation has been imposed on society for 42 years."

He also emphasized the end of the Islamic Republic's narrative and added: "The Islamic Republic has nothing to tell the people. It cannot exist without a narrative. The Islamic Republic has destroyed all its narratives and has nothing. One of the narratives it has created to help it retain its minority of supporters is the issue of the hijab, which it can use to keep them for a while; but it will not last long, and maybe only last for a year or two, after which it will create whatever narrative it wants."

Mehdi Nasiri reiterated that the Islamic Republic is over because it has no narrative. When it has no achievements that can save the people, how can it save the system? He concluded by stating that the end of the Islamic Republic is a promise of good things for the people of Iran. Mehdi Nasiri, while pointing out that we are not like North Korea, Syria, and Libya, expressed hope for a prosperous and free Iran.