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Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Iranian regime, clearly demonstrated the concerns and priorities of his regime’s path in his Nowruz remarks on March 20. In this speech, primarily addressing forces affiliated with his regime, Khamenei used the word “hope” 29 times and emphasized greatly urging his state officials towards “creating hope” and preventing frustration.
“Today, our national interests and a bright future depend on hope and faith, about which I have had a detailed discussion before the year 1402 (March 2023- March 2024),” Khamenei said. “I want to emphasize this: hope and faith. If the dawn of hope fades in hearts, there will be no way forward.”
Claiming his regime has witnessed progress in the past year, Khamenei added, “These advancements are possible when you and I are hopeful about the future; when we have hope; when we know progress can be made, work can be done, and action can be taken.”
“Some individuals, in my opinion, engage in pessimistic language; they deny the existence of hope in the youth, and they try to eradicate hope from hearts!… It’s as if they’ve set traps to extinguish the spirit of hope in the youth and make them perish,” he further stated.
Seven years of provincial and nationwide uprisings have made it clear that Khamenei’s rhetoric is not resonating with the Iranian populace. The recent sham elections on March 1st served as a stark example, as the decisive boycott by the people showcased their absolute rejection of any internal reform, and laid bare the regime’s illegitimacy.
Considering the Iranian regime’s use of reverse language, it is evident that words such as “hope” and “youth” carry deeper implications within Khamenei’s mindset. In light of this, a significant morale crisis exists among the forces purportedly loyal to Khamenei, who are entrusted with the task of suppressing the Iranian populace to maintain his reign.
Khamenei’s #Economic Hypocrisy: From Rhetoric to Reality in #Iranhttps://t.co/NHneFaxMSh
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) March 23, 2024
Khamenei’s strategy involved orchestrating a theatrical election aimed at purging elements close to power, consolidating his authority, and addressing the issue of succession through a meticulously vetted Assembly of Experts. However, this “surgery,” while intended to bolster his control, has resulted in considerable backlash. State officials and media figures, sidelined from positions of influence, have intensified their efforts to expose corruption within the regime. Subsequently, they are inadvertently undermining Khamenei’s loyalists and undermining those he has deemed “eligible to govern according to Islamic rule.”
Following the elections, Khamenei was compelled to take a stance, remarking, “There are those who seek to sour the sweetness of elections for the people.”
In recent years, while attempting to consolidate power in his regime by marginalizing former accomplices, Khamenei has grown increasingly frustrated over the ramifications of power struggles inside his regime. He knows that revelations and exposure of the regime’s corruption breed dissatisfaction and perceives these developments as fostering despair among forces aligned with him.
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— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) March 9, 2024
Furthermore, Khamenei’s Middle East stratagem initially aimed to rally domestic factions against an external threat by fostering a climate of warmongering in the region, ultimately seeking to consolidate their obedience under his hegemony. However, as global awareness grows regarding Tehran’s involvement in regional conflicts, Khamenei is beginning to grasp that his objectives have not been met. Not only has he failed to achieve a strategic victory, but also authorities who once vocally supported his proxy forces are now expressing skepticism about Khamenei’s roadmap for the region.
Khamenei perceives the questioning and undermining of his strategy in the region as detrimental to the morale of his oppressive forces, and he warns against such actions.
