The Philosopher’s Council to Iran’s Philosopher King

Comparing the ongoing protests with previous protests in the Islamic Republic, Bijan Abdolkarimi, a philosopher, warned against increased radicalism and urged the regime to “recognize other political forces” to avoid “violent change,” in an interview with Etemad newspaper. It remains to be seen if Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei listens to the council of philosophers. 

• November 16: “The protests have changed. They are more radical. In 2009, the protests were expressed within the structure of the Islamic Republic with people asking: ‘Where is the vote I cast within the structure of the regime?’ Today, the protests and demands have turned against the regime structure, yet the rulers appear ignorant, or incapable of comprehending the logic behind the change … If the voice of the people is heard too late, just as the case was with the previous regime, I fear something similar” a veiled reference to revolution and regime collapse, “may happen to the revolution.” Turning to social classes and political protests, Abdolkarimi said: “Unprivileged classes were heavily involved in recent affairs, as demonstrated in Karaj, Naziabad, the suburbs of Tehran, and unprivileged provinces. These events transcend social class, but the social class does not appear to have entered the arena with its full force. The middle class provides logistical support to teenage and young protesters yet still has doubts when it comes to great and fundamental change … The middle class remains spectators because they care for the country. They fear collapse of Iran and degeneration of the country into ‘Iranestan,’” a reference to Muslim territories previously under Russian and Soviet control. Abdolkarim also emphasized demand for change has become “a national consensus,” but the majority demands “nonviolent change,” and urged the regime to “recognize other political forces” to avoid violent change.  

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