Ranking

Erfan Fard is a counter-terrorism analyst and Middle East Studies researcher based in Washington, DC The current regime in Iran is fundamentally unfit for the time and place it governs. It was founded on a flawed and historically distorted premise, and the political Islam established by Khomeini and the mullahs has caused significant harm to both Iran and the broader Middle East. The global community has observed how this ruling ideology, rooted in a particular interpretation of political Islam, has become an obstacle to the prosperity and well-being of the Iranian people. This regime is a hollow structure lacking substance, which has reduced Iran to ruins. The ideological underpinnings of Tehran's oppressive and archaic regime stem from a fusion of Islamic and Communist principles. The actions and policies of its corrupt and duplicitous leaders demonstrate a level of rationality and comprehension that falls significantly short of Iran's middle class. This backward-looking, delusional, and crisis-ridden regime proves incapable of effectively governing Iran's complex society or meaningfully engaging with its young population The regime's worldview is distorted by a sense of deprivation and delusion. From Khomeini's book on "Velayat-e Faqih" to Khamenei's recent speeches in November 2024, the Shiite clerical leadership perceives itself as the rightful successors to the Islamic Caliphates that emerged after Islami’s Prophet Muhammad. This self-perception echoes the historical caliphates, which were often characterized by internal strife over the spoils of conquest. Both Khomeini and Khamenei view themselves as Muhammad's spiritual and political heirs, guided by a religious mindset that blends elements of superstition, misinformation, and populist rhetoric. Their actions suggest a relentless pursuit of unchecked authority, savagery and dominance, often at great cost to their own people and the region. For 36 years, Iran has been ruled by a despotic mullah who surpasses the likes of Hitler, Mao, Lenin, Stalin, Mussolini, Pol Pot, Kim Jong-un, Fidel Castro, Idi Amin, Franco, Gaddafi, Saddam Hussein, and Ceaușescu in terms of danger and brutality. Over the past half-century, Iran’s two vicious dictators, Khomeini and Khamenei, have proven to be even worse than the Mongols, leaving an indelible stain on modern history and humanity. The Islamic caliphate system currently governing Iran—with its first caliph, Khomeini, and its second, Khamenei—bears no significant difference in essence from the murderous Safavid sultans or the inept Qajar dynasty. For Iran's Khomeinist rulers, power is about domination, devoid of accountability or willingness to engage in dialogue. The current leadership views society as an enemy, a competitor, or a herd to be shepherded. Concepts like human rights and civil society are illusory, and the notion of law holds no meaning in Iran. Civil society and adherence to laws are absent in today's Iran. Although the complexities of Iran's socio-political layers are challenging to articulate fully, the current regime is a continuation of the infamous terrorist group "Fada'iyan-e Islam." In this regime, intellectualism, rationality, and logic are absent. Despite significant social transformations within Iran's relatively young population, the political system remains a harsh dictatorship ruled by eulogy, sycophancy, mafias, and religious gangs. This mirrors the Islamic caliphates of the past 1,400 years, where leaders neither dared to retire nor embraced change. Delusional rulers avoid reality, shut their eyes and ears to internal and external criticism, and consistently proclaim their divine right to rule through a propaganda machine. Every success is framed as a victory for their imaginary Islamic ideology, while every failure is attributed to Iran as a nation. Since 1979, the mullahs and the current regime have devastated Iran's history, civilization, Ecosystem, and culture. Iran is ravaged, plundered, and off-track from the trajectory of its once-thriving civilization. The mullahs have had one mission: to spread poverty and destruction, enforce despotism, and propagate superstition and falsehoods. They have accomplished this mission. Not even the Mongols and Tatars inflicted such devastation on Iran. In the long winter of 1979, under the guise of divine will, Khomeini laid the foundation for the most bloodthirsty and corrupt theocracy on Earth. It is a grotesque and horrific system rooted in a regressive, brutal ideology masquerading as "pure Muhammadan Islam." In the regime's discourse, they frequently reference an "Islamic Ummah." The Shiite leaders in Tehran, exhibiting blatant arrogance and narcissism, assert their legitimacy while simultaneously fostering terrorism, sedition, and chaos to maintain their grip on power. Their ideological foundation is rooted in charlatanism and radicalism—the core elements of Khomeinism. It is essential to clarify that Khomeinism is not merely a toxic ideology; it represents a complex amalgamation of over 64 distinct schools of depravity and villainy, including anarchism, anti-Semitism, barbarism, Bolshevism, charlatanism, communism, demagoguery, despotism, dogmatism, expansionism, extremism, fascism, gangsterism, militarism, propaganda, ruffianism, savagery, Stalinism, terrorism, vandalism, vulgarity, and more. The dangerous mafia-like rulers in Iran, outwardly Shiite Muslims but inwardly malevolent criminals, lack the intellectual capacity to navigate crises or renounce their antagonism toward peace and stability. Their dogmatic beliefs and deceitful façade have driven Iranian society into a tunnel of fear and darkness. As the late Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, of Iran once warned: “The Grand Horror.” Meanwhile, Islamic leftist , or the pro-regime reformists, continue their charade of advocating for reforms in Iran, hoping to repaint the façade while selling illusions of hope and change. They refuse to address the chaos, insecurity, and destruction within Iran. The regime’s ideological foundation fundamentally opposes global friendship, order, and peace. Domestically, a hardline core governs through force and violence, while abroad, it actively fosters terror and fear. The regime’s propaganda machine thrives on sensationalism, hollow slogans, and chaos, often spinning even its failures as “victories.” Its displays of military and intelligence prowess are both absurd and farcical. However, when faced with serious challenges or threats, the regime retreats into defensive postures, hiding in proverbial shadows. As history teaches us, such a regime cannot endure indefinitely. It will inevitably collapse, though not before plunging Iran and the region into turmoil for years to come. Khomeini and Khamenei famously declared, “We will stand until the end!” Yet no one asked what the "end of the line" truly meant. Could it signify the complete destruction of Iran as a nation? Alarmingly, it appears so. Ultimately, one must conclude that this regime is not Iranian; these occupiers are enemies of Iran. The younger generation of Iranians is gradually arriving at this undeniable truth. Meanwhile, some within the regime are already campaigning for Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the current dictator, to inherit power. History reminds us that during the corrupt and criminal Umayyad Caliphate, Yazid succeeded his father, Mu'awiya I, through hereditary succession. Must Iranians once again endure the same tragic cycle of illegitimate "leaders"—embezzlers, plunderers, and murderers? — only to To what end? The reality is that Shiite Imamate history is replete with hereditary power transfers, where authority is handed down like an inheritance. This regime, steeped in arrogance and corruption, dreams of creating a "Union of Islamic Theocratic Republics" (UITR). Yet such an idea is both absurd and doomed from the outset. Despite this, let us hope that Iran weathers this storm and overcomes this wave of destruction as it has countless others throughout its history. Though the regime betrays its people and creates immense challenges, the spirit of Iran remains unbroken. The nation will persevere and find its way forward.