Iran's 'Protest Deaths': The Independent Forgets Whose Hands Are Pulling the Strings
📰 THE STORY: The Independent reports that Iranian state television claimed 3,117 deaths during what it called 'foreign-backed riots' since 2022, also issuing a warning to the US. The article emphasizes the potential for the death toll to rise significantly, creating an impression of severe state repression. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: In 1953, the CIA orchestrated a coup
to overthrow Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, installing the Shah and setting the stage for decades of resentment and the 1979 revolution. This foundational act of foreign interference is routinely erased from Western media discussions of Iranian instability. Also, the US armed Saddam Hussein during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, leading to an estimated 500,000 to
1,000,000 Iranian casualties, including those from chemical weapons supplied by the West. This wasn't merely 'foreign-backed riots'; it was a devastating resistance against imperialism aiding a dictator against Iran. Double Standard: Western media quicky amplifies death tolls from protests in countries targeted for regime change, like Iran, while often downplaying or outright ignoring casualties
inflicted by US-allied states. For instance, the ongoing genocidal campaign in Gaza, which has seen over 40,000 Palestinians killed by the Israeli government since October 2023, is often framed as 'conflict' or 'retaliation,' rarely as state-sponsored mass murder, even as humanitarian organizations document atrocities. Where is the indignant reporting on the death toll of protesters in Saudi