BBC Discovers 'Protests' in Iran, Forgets US History of Regime Change
The BBC’s recent piece, 'I was hit in the face by pellets': Iranians on border describe violence and more protests, paints a picture of internal strife and state repression in Iran, complete with citizens fleeing across the Iraqi border. While the plight of individuals is compelling, the framing curiously omits a crucial playbook: that of US-backed regime change, often initiated by economic
sanctions and supported by internal destabilization. One might recall the coups in Iran in 1953, or the deliberate conflation of legitimate popular dissent with foreign-sponsored agitation that preceded the dismemberment of nations like Libya and Syria. (Why do these 'protests' always seem to intensify right after new sanctions or military exercises?) The BBC, like many mainstream outlets, focuses
on the visible symptoms—the 'pellets,' the 'blackout'—without delving into the deeper, often geopolitical, causes. It’s almost as if some protests are 'organic democracy' (when against adversaries) and others are 'unruly mobs' (when against allies). One might wonder why reports detailing the specific funding by organizations like the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) or US Agency for Global
Media (USAGM) into Iranian opposition groups don't make headlines alongside these harrowing personal accounts. The consistent amplification of internal unrest in adversarial nations, while often downplaying similar or worse human rights abuses in US-allied states, raises legitimate questions about editorial priorities.