{"id":47079,"date":"2026-03-07T12:43:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T20:43:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=47079"},"modified":"2026-03-07T12:43:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T20:43:11","slug":"will-iran-be-free","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2026\/03\/07\/will-iran-be-free\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Iran Be Free?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Will Iran Be Free?<\/strong>\u00a0

Last weekend, the United States and Israel launched a massive attack on Iran. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has been killed, but the regime continues to fight for survival. Exactly two months earlier, on December 28, widespread mass demonstrations broke out in protest of the severe economic despair gripping the country. Iran\u2019s clerical regime responded with extraordinary violence, massacring up to tens of thousands of people. Soon after the war began, the U.S. president called on Iranians to take control of their country, but that won\u2019t be easy. Will this finally be the opportunity for Iran to break free?
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Following is a selection of the\u00a0Journal of Democracy<\/em><\/a>\u2019s coverage of the Islamic Republic, its tightening grip on the people amid rising economic and political instability, and the growing restiveness of a people yearning for freedom.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Iran\u2019s Massacres Will Haunt the Regime<\/a>
Iran\u2019s hardline government responded to nationwide protests with horrific violence, killing thousands of Iranians in a matter of days. There is nothing the regime can offer its people to regain their support.
Ehsan Habibpour and Sharan Grewal<\/em>

The Islamic Republic\u2019s War on Iranians<\/a>
Iran\u2019s theocracy has waged a brutal campaign against its own citizens for years. Now that the Woman, Life, Freedom movement has stripped the regime of any legitimacy, the mullahs have had no response but to sharpen their instruments of repression.
Ladan Boroumand<\/em>
 
Why Iran Is Entering a Dangerous Moment<\/a>
The country\u2019s recent elections revealed deep fissures in Iranian society and there is already growing disillusionment with the new president. With mounting economic worries, Iran is in a volatile state.
Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar<\/em>
 
The Empty Promise of Iran\u2019s New President<\/a>
Masoud Pezeshkian won\u2019t be a \u201creformer\u201d in any genuine sense. Like all Iranian presidents, he has pledged his loyalty to Iran\u2019s supreme leader. What he really offers is a softer version of Iran\u2019s grim repression.
Ladan Boroumand<\/em>

Is Iran on the Verge of Another Revolution?<\/a>
There have been numerous waves of protest against the country\u2019s corrupt theocracy. This time is different. It is a movement to reclaim life. Whatever happens, there is no going back.
Asef Bayat<\/em>

Why Women Are Leading the Fight in Iran<\/a>
Iran\u2019s women were the Islamic Republic\u2019s first target for repression. This is the newest chapter in their struggle to win back their rights.
Ladan Boroumand<\/em>

Iran Erupts<\/a>
Iranians are once again flooding the streets in protest. How is this wave of demonstrations different?
Peyman Asadzade<\/em>Authoritarian Survival: Iran’s Republic of Repression<\/a>
The Islamic Republic is in a volatile, even prerevolutionary situation, hammered by foreign opposition and sanctions from the outside, and the disillusionment and discontent of its own people from within. But a catalyst needs to appear.
Misagh Parsa<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The Journal of Democracy<\/a><\/em> is published quarterly in January, April, July, and October. Members of the press and members of Congress who wish to receive electronic access should email our managing editor<\/a>. For more information, please visit our website<\/a> or send us an email<\/a>.

Subscribe now<\/a> <\/strong>for full access to the Journal of Democracy<\/em> archives.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Image credit: Majidreza \/ Middle East Images \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Will Iran Be Free?\u00a0 Last weekend, the United States and Israel launched a massive attack on Iran. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has been killed, but the regime continues to fight for survival. Exactly two months earlier, on December 28, widespread mass demonstrations broke out in protest of the severe economic… Continue reading → <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47079"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47079"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47079\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47082,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47079\/revisions\/47082"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47079"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}