ـــ‌‌ــارا

This report reads as blatant propaganda for the Islamic Republic. The individuals the regime claims to have “arrested”, and whom state-aligned media describe as “reformists” are, in reality, controlled or manufactured opposition figures created by the regime itself. The current president, Masoud Pezeshkian, comes from the same so-called reformist camp, a faction many Iranians hold responsible for past crackdowns and mass killings. Likewise, former president Mohammad Khatami, a leading figure behind the reformist movement, publicly labeled protesters as “agents of America and Israel” and defended the regime’s violent response. I don’t know what motivated the publication of this story, but it risks echoing narratives long promoted by lobbying networks in Western countries that advocate on behalf of the Islamic Republic. At a time when Iranians are facing intense repression, please avoid amplifying narratives that serve the regime’s interests. Instead, amplify the voices of the Iranian people, tens of thousands of whom have been killed, and thousands more who continue to endure severe abuse and uncertain futures in prison.