Comments on: Iranians have every reason to protest against their Theocracy

By: David

David — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 07:49:43 +0000

Iran has been sanctioned by the US for the past 40 years or so. The purpose of the sanctions is to make life so hard for Iranians that they protest and overthrow their government themselves, or more likely, create a pretext for the US to orchestrate a coup. For what it’s worth, I think it is the Iranian people’s commitment to their faith that will prevent the US from overthrowing the Iranian government, no matter what we in New Zealand think about the Iranuan government and its religious practices.

By: Geoff Fischer

Geoff Fischer — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 06:13:07 +0000

In reply to Mark. I have lived and worked in Iran under the Islamic regime, I have attended large political protests in Tehran, and I have liberal middle class and largely secular friends in the country. Yet I find myself more in sympathy with your view of the current situation than with Martyn's.

By: Ignatius

Ignatius — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 04:30:34 +0000

Totally agree on the open contempt of Theocracy. Just our views on God differ. But hey the left is a big tent. We should all stand with the rights of people to determine their future.

My fear though, this is happening in the Kurdish dominated areas. Historically the Kurd’s get the bash from this contemptuous Theocratic state.

Unless this spreads far and wide and the dominate Persian population embrace the need for change – I’m picking little will change.

But we can Hope and Pray (well us who believe in God can pray – you do you) cause this government of ours lacks any interest in the rights of people.

By: redunderthebed

redunderthebed — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 03:30:13 +0000

Yes, indeed

Add to this their looming water crisis due, partly, to government incompetence, partly severe drought.
The city of Tehran, 10 million inhabitants, is on the brink of running out of water. There is talk of evacuating the city, and I cannot imagine how such a thing is possible.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 02:55:01 +0000

Martyn – Iranian people deserve peace. The Iranian Government needs to go.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 02:35:25 +0000

The Iranian regime is progressive in a fundamental sense: it is uncompromisingly anti-imperialist. Western reporting on so-called “adversary” states is overwhelmingly propaganda. Context is routinely stripped away, facts are distorted, exaggerations are normalised, and outright falsehoods are common. The purpose of this propaganda is clear: to manufacture consent for invasion, regime change, and the theft of resources—especially oil. Don’t fall for it.

The reality is that a substantial proportion of Iranians support their political system, a fact Western media works tirelessly to obscure because it undermines the regime-change narrative.

If you want serious analysis, listen to scholars like Professor Marandi. Here is an interview with George Galloway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0Hi2DdbFp0