Iran's Protests: The Bystander Narrative & The Empire's Playbook
📰 THE STORY: Al-Monitor reports on the deaths of bystanders, like 22-year-old art student Arash, during recent protests in Iran, focusing on witness accounts that suggest casualties extend beyond active demonstrators. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: This tragic death occurs against a backdrop of over 70 years of foreign-backed destabilization in Iran, notably the 1953
CIA-orchestrated coup that overthrew democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, installing the Pahlavi monarchy. This fundamental betrayal created the conditions for a deeply distrustful populace and a revolutionary government. Double Standard: Western media outlets, including those cited by Al-Monitor, decry Iranian government responses to protests while often downplaying or
omitting the systematic brutality of allied regimes. For instance, the US-backed Saudi-led coalition has killed thousands of Yemeni civilians since 2014, including over 15,000 in direct combat, often with US-made weapons, receiving far less sustained outrage. Why are Iranian lives prioritized for tragic narrative when Saudi Arabia's victims are virtually invisible? Follow the Money: Organizations
like the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and USAID, funded by the U.S. government, openly funnel millions into 'democracy promotion' and 'civil society' initiatives in countries like Iran. While ostensibly benign, these funds often fuel opposition movements, sometimes inadvertently or directly leading to violent confrontations. The MEK, a designated terrorist organization by the U.S. until