AN IRANIAN who made his home in Bromsgrove more than 30 years ago has spoken of his fears for his home country and the people living there.
The man, who did not want to be named, said the nation had been betrayed and begged the World ‘not to look away’.
Reports in the UK national media suggest thousands have been killed ‘some in an inhuman and savage manner’ since the civil unrest began at the end of last month.
But the now Bromsgrove resident, who owns a business in the town, said the country ‘should have been one of the great success stories of the modern world’.
“Blessed with immense natural wealth, Iran ranks among the top four nations globally in combined oil and natural gas reserves.
“It possesses a young, educated population, a strategic geographic position, and one of the richest cultural heritages on Earth. Few countries have ever had so much potential.”
He said, before 1979, Iran’s potential was being realised.
“Under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iran was rapidly modernising and opening to the world.
“The economy was growing, education was expanding and women gained fundamental rights, including the right to vote.
“Iran’s cities were alive with culture, innovation and confidence. Its foreign policy was pragmatic and inclusive – guided by cooperation rather than confrontation.
He said, back then, Iran was ‘admired’ but that country no longer existed in its successful form.
“Millions of Western tourists visited a country that seamlessly blended ancient civilisation with modern life.
“There were luxurious hotels, vibrant nightlife, pristine beaches, ski resorts and historic wonders like Persepolis which made Iran a regional beacon of stability and progress.
“It was a nation looking forward.”
But, he claimed, ’46 years of rule by the Ayatollahs had transformed Iran from a rising global power into a broken state’.
“The Islamic Republic is now widely recognised as one of the world’s leading sponsors of terrorism – exporting violence, destabilising entire regions and leaving a trail of destruction from Lebanon and Syria to Yemen and Iraq.”
He said, after failing abroad, the regime had turned its brutality onto its own people.
“Today’s Iranian uprising is not spontaneous – it is the inevitable result of decades of corruption, theft, and systemic injustice.
“The average Iranian survives on roughly £100-a-month while basic living costs exceed £400.
“The national currency has collapsed, losing over 200 per cent of its value in less than a year.
“Clean air is a luxury – pollution poisons cities. Gas, electricity, and water are rationed.
“Food and utility prices change by the hour.
“For millions, survival itself has become a daily battle.
“And yet, when Iranians demand dignity, they are met with bullets.”
‘More help needed’
It is difficult to ascertain exactly how many Iranians have been killed with some estimates at more than 12,000 and others at over 20,000.
The man, who still has family and friends living in Iran, said many killed by Revolutionary Guard forces were under the age of 30 and the total communications blackout was in a bid to erase the evidence of mass killings and war crimes against its own citizens.
“Iranians speak of streets soaked in blood, of a stench of death lingering in the air.
“This is not governance. This is terror.
“The international community can no longer hide behind failed strategies – 46 years of sanctions have not freed the Iranian people.
“Endless condemnations, unaccompanied by action, have changed nothing.
“Words alone do not stop bullets. Silence does not save lives.
“The Islamic Republic is weaker than it has ever been – fractured internally, isolated externally, and exposed for what it truly is: a regime incapable of being a responsible member of the global community.”
The man said the world needed to actively support the Iranian people in their struggle to reclaim their futures.
“This can be done through political pressure, diplomatic isolation of the regime and concrete support for civil resistance and human rights.
“Iranians are not asking for charity – they are demanding the right to choose their own destiny.
“A free Iran – liberated from the rule of the Ayatollahs – would not only restore hope to its people but would bring lasting peace and stability to the Middle East and beyond.
“Economically, politically, and morally, the stakes could not be higher.
“History will remember this moment.
“It will remember who stood with the Iranian people – and who chose comfort, caution and silence while a nation bled.”
