Iran is ready for change

On Saturday, the people of Khorramshahr, a city in southwestern Iran, poured into the streets to protest against poor living conditions and a lack of access to drinking water. Like many other protests happening across Iran, slogans against the highest authorities of the Iranian regime, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, accompanied Khorramshahr’s demonstrations. Instead of taking steps to address the people’s grievances, the regime responded by dispatching its security forces to crack down on the protesters. Clashes ensued as the deprived people of Khorramshahr refused to back down from fighting for their most basic rights.

Protests like those in Khorramshahr have become quite common since the turn of the year, when economic woes and government corruption triggered nationwide unrest across Iran. But what made the Khorramshahr demonstrations different was that they took place while tens of thousands of Iranians had gathered in Paris to support protesters in Iran.

Called “Free Iran 2018,” the event was attended by high-profile politicians and lawmakers from dozens of countries. The rally had two messages. To the people of Iran: You’re not alone. To the rest of the world: There’s a real and viable alternative to the tyrannical and extremist mullahs ruling in Iran.

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