The Iranian Opposition and Historical Anachronism

This essay seeks to examine and analyze the political position and discursive patterns of the main opposition forces to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The primary aim is to defamiliarize and critically reassess what is commonly labeled as the “freedom-loving” and “democratic” Iranian opposition. It argues that this opposition lacks the capacity to open up necessary possibilities for increasing social power; realizing freedom, democracy, and social welfare; and building transnational solidarities between protest movements in Iran and those in other countries.