Strong Criticism from an Iranian MP Against Bashar al-Assad and Vladimir Putin

On Wednesday, July 6, a member of the Iranian Parliament harshly criticized Bashar al-Assad and Vladimir Putin, the presidents of Syria and Russia, stating that these two will soon make us a "victim" of Israel and the United States. Behrouz Farhangi, a reformist MP from Kashmar and a member of the Hope faction in Parliament, said in his pre-speech remarks that today Bashar al-Assad "with all his audacity... has made his alignment with Putin heavier." Mr. Farhangi emphasized that "Russia will not be a reliable friend for us." He accused Russia of "betrayal" at the OPEC meeting and the Caspian Sea Convention, adding that it is "not far" that Bashar al-Assad and Vladimir Putin will "sacrifice us for their interests and soon for Netanyahu and Trump, but we, regardless of the fact that in today's politics... there are no eternal friends and permanent enemies, have pursued uniform, continuous, and unified policies, and not a single reprimand has been directed at these two individuals." The Islamic Republic of Iran, along with Russia, has been a main supporter of Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war and has prevented the fall of the regime against the opposition. Thousands of Iranian forces have been killed in Syria, and the positions of these forces and Hezbollah in Syria have repeatedly been targeted by Israeli missiles or fighter jets. In addition to sending military forces under the guise of "advisors" or the Fatemiyoun and Zainabiyoun brigades (composed of Afghan and Pakistani Shia forces) to Syria, Iran has provided billions of dollars to Assad's government over the past seven years. These same aids have been severely criticized by protesters during the protests in December last year and in recent days in Iran, where they chanted: "Leave Syria, think about us." Over the years, the ruling circle of people's sovereignty over their destiny has become so tight and the circle of insiders has become so small that many Iranians have fallen outside this circle, such that any opposing voice is considered subversive and any sympathetic critic is viewed as an opponent of the regime. In another part of his speech, Mr. Farhangi, referring to the fact that Iran needs "60 billion dollars" in investment annually, asked the officials of the Islamic Republic, "Why should we easily spend national wealth without gaining secondary economic benefits in other parts of the world instead of prioritizing spending in the path of national interests and eradicating poverty, unemployment, and hunger? Why must we always live in fear of war, sanctions, and the anxiety of bad news?" According to him, "What international conspiracy has destroyed the environment of our rivers, lakes, wetlands, and groundwater? Which foreign hand has deprived our people of clean air? Why has harmonizing with the global community become so difficult for us?" The Kashmar representative also criticized the "increased security atmosphere, illegal actions, intolerance towards protesters, and intrusion into citizens' privacy" in Iran, deeming it the "first warning bell" on the "path of decline." Mr. Farhangi added: "Over the years, the ruling circle of people's sovereignty over their destiny has become so tight and the circle of insiders has become so small that many Iranians have fallen outside this circle, such that any opposing voice is considered subversive and any sympathetic critic is viewed as an opponent of the regime." He urged the officials of the Islamic Republic to "act with empathy and listen to the voice of the people's suffering... who have endured 40 years with all the problems," and to take steps towards their "welfare and mental security."