The nationwide protests in Iran, started on September 28, are more than just a period of political and economic unrest. They reflect a deeper problem: the widening gap between the state and a population that views this government as alien to their culture and civilization. And also, a population that believes their country occupies a pivotal position in global geopolitics. The Islamic Republic still possesses significant capacity for repression, and according to some media reports, more than thirty-five thousand have been killed in a matter of days. For the United States, this raises a question that goes beyond human rights or ethical concerns: could the collapse of Iran’s Islamic regime present a geopolitical opportunity to reshape the balance of power against China and Russia?
The Truth About Repressive Violence
Online platforms allow eyewitnesses and ordinary citizens to share firsthand accounts and grassroots reports—voices that can challenge official narratives and broaden the global public’s understanding of events. Dictatorial governments appear to understand this reality very well; they have consistently tried to control the dominant narrative. For such regimes, the internet has become a serious threat, because they can no longer imprison the truth or present their own version as the only reality.
Julian Spencer-Churchill
Author
Dr. Julian Spencer-Churchill is associate professor of international relations at Concordia University, and author of Militarization and War (2007) and of Strategic Nuclear Sharing (2014). He has published extensively on Pakistan security issues and arms control and completed research contracts at the Office of Treaty Verification at the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, and the then Ballistic Missile Defense Office (BMDO). He has also conducted fieldwork in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and Egypt, and is a consultant. He is a former Operations Officer, 3 Field Engineer Regiment, from the latter end of the Cold War to shortly after 9/11.
