Rouhani on the Pahlavi Regime: We Will Never Allow 'Despotism' to Return

Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, on Wednesday, February 1, delivered a speech on the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution, referring to the Pahlavi era, stating that 'returning to the past is impossible, and the people have left those dark and bleak days behind.' According to the official Islamic Republic news agency, IRNA, Rouhani emphasized that 'we will never allow despotism to return to this land,' adding, 'no one returns from light to darkness.' These remarks come amid recent protests that have spread to over a hundred cities in Iran, where many demonstrators chanted slogans in support of the Pahlavi dynasty and expressed regret over the 1979 Revolution. Slogans included 'May the spirit of Reza Shah be blessed,' 'What a mistake I made by revolting,' 'O King of Iran, return to Iran,' and 'Iran without a king has no accountability.' Reza Pahlavi, the former crown prince of Iran, has also supported these protests, stating that the people of Iran 'intend to shape their destiny based on what they desire.' Rouhani continued his speech by stating that 'no one can' prevent people from 'expressing opinions and criticism and even protests.' He also pointed out that the Pahlavi regime lost everything because it did not listen to the people's criticism and advice. According to the President, during Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi's reign, 'one person thought he should think for the entire nation and command instead of the entire nation.' This criticism comes as protesters and opponents of the Islamic Republic have made similar criticisms of the ruling Velayat-e Faqih system. The speech was delivered one day before the start of the decade known as 'Dey of Victory,' celebrated annually from February 1 to February 11 as the anniversary of the 'Islamic Revolution's victory' in Iran. Rouhani stated, 'No one can prevent the great nation of Iran from expressing opinions, criticism, and even protests. All officials must be attentive to the demands and wishes of the people.' He added, 'Governments must listen carefully to the people's advice, wishes, demands, and criticisms.' While Rouhani claims 'no one can' prevent protests, the Islamic Republic has consistently suppressed protests violently, and recent crackdowns have resulted in over 20 deaths and thousands of arrests. Earlier in January, protests erupted in Mashhad focused on the current economic situation and the poor living conditions of the majority of the people, which later spread to several cities. Initially, protesters' slogans were focused solely on financial and economic issues, but they quickly escalated to political matters and turned into very harsh slogans against Ali Khamenei and the President. Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, responded to these protests on January 9, calling the people's gatherings 'fireworks,' 'mischief,' and 'the enemy's counterattack,' accusing the United States, Britain, and Israel of organizing these gatherings and claiming that a 'wealthy' regional government funded them. Khamenei also threatened those he referred to as 'enemies,' stating, 'In these few days, you have harmed Iran, and this will not go unpunished.' Most senior officials of the Islamic Republic reacted similarly to the protests, linking them to foreign countries and 'foreign enemies.' In this context, the Human Rights Campaign reported that some Iranian protesters have been charged with 'capital offenses.' The head of the judiciary has called for security agencies to take action against the virtual space. Some of the recent detainees have been accused of 'moharebeh' (waging war against God) and 'ifsad fil-arz' (corruption on earth).