Iran Internet Blackout: Where's John Oliver When You Need Him?
When The Independent reports on Iran's internet blackout amidst widespread protests, and notes the regime blames Israel, it's a headline that almost writes itself. What’s often omitted, however, is the long, documented history of Western interference in Iranian affairs – from the 1953 CIA-orchestrated coup that overthrew democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, installing the
Shah, to the consistent calls for 'regime change' from US officials for decades. Critics might point out that blaming external actors for domestic dissent doesn't make the dissent illegitimate, but it certainly muddies the waters for a Western audience. One might wonder why the same outlets often fail to scrutinize the vast sums of money spent by various state actors on 'promoting democracy' (
read: destabilization efforts ) in countries like Iran, a playbook perfected in places like Libya and Syria. It’s almost as if some protests are more legitimate than others, depending on whose geopolitical interests they serve. Perhaps the next time there's an internet blackout in a US-allied nation, we can expect the same level of probing into external influence, or is that only reserved for
adversaries?