Iranians no longer know who is leading their country

“We do not know who is ruling Iran,” U.S. President Donald Trump said, describing the uncertainty that now surrounds the country’s leadership. The absence of an obvious political and military leader, this commentary argues, has allowed the Revolutionary Guard to govern from behind the scenes while rival factions compete for power.

The piece looks back to the protests that began against the Shah in 1977. It stresses that all political forces took part, not only the Islamic movement. Two years later, the leaders of the United States, Britain, France and Germany met in Guadeloupe as France recognized that the revolution had moved beyond its control. France then hosted Ayatollah Khomeini in 1978, viewing him as a possible alternative to lead Iran.

The revolution succeeded in 1979, aided by cassette recordings made in Neauphle-le-Château and distributed across Iran. The commentary presents that history as essential to understanding current Iranian public opinion, especially in a country it describes as an arena for regional and international power struggles since the 16th century.

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We do not know who is ruling Iran.

It also points to President Masoud Pezeshkian’s statement that “the war must end at some point. It is better to end it today. People staying away from the ruling circle do not understand the conditions under which the government is operating.” The writer interprets those words as a reference to unbearable living and economic conditions.

The commentary says Iranians have grown more resentful after 47 years of rule by the ayatollah, citing the war, tighter sanctions and international abandonment of the Iranian regime. It argues that efforts to repeat the Shah-era tactics of bombings, riots and blaming protesters cannot work in an era when events are fully exposed. The text ends while discussing attempts by media outlets inside and outside Iran to repair the regime’s image.

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The war must end at some point. It is better to end it today. People staying away from the ruling circle do not understand the conditions under which the government is operating.