In a speech on Wednesday, September 25, Iranian regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei defended the Iran-Iraq war and reiterated his warmongering claims and rhetoric. He also issued strict orders for “vigilance” in all areas. Both his defense of the war and the call for vigilance had one goal: preserving the clerical regime. In today’s social and political climate in Iran, this clearly translates to confronting potential uprisings.
In a meeting with a group of the regime’s forces and so-called “veterans of the Iran-Iraq war,” Khamenei attempted to justify Ruhollah Khomeini’s insistence on prolonging the war for eight years. He stated, “This war wasn’t just about defending the homeland… The issue was bigger than that; it was about defending Islam [i.e., preserving the regime].”
He then shifted to the wars in Gaza and Lebanon, saying, “Today, a similar event is unfolding in Lebanon and Palestine. These incidents are just like the imposed [Iran-Iraq] war and our sacred defense.”
This reveals that both during Khomeini’s time and now under Khamenei, these wars and their devastating costs for the people of Iran and the region have been about preserving the clerical regime.
Another similarity is the same criticisms and objections voiced in the final days of the Iran-Iraq war are now resurfacing within the regime as its warmongering policies lose steam. An example can be found in an article from the regime’s newspaper, Ham-Mihan, on September 26, which discusses “the developments of the past 11 months” and states, “The Islamic Republic’s efforts to strengthen its deterrence through the ‘True Promise’ operation have effectively failed.”
In this context, Khamenei’s repeated emphasis on the need for “vigilance” during his Wednesday speech becomes clear. He said, “We must be vigilant! Everyone must be vigilant in the Ministry of Education! In the state media! In the press! In the Ministry of Science and the Ministry of Health, where the youth are educated, vigilance is essential!”
The main source of Khamenei’s concern in these remarks is obvious: the youth. He is clearly anxious about public protests. However, he deliberately avoided mentioning the one place he is most worried about—the streets.
Khamenei also remained silent on the Tabas mine disaster, which has sparked public anger across Iran. This incident occurred due to poor safety and oversight conditions in Iranian mines, and many believe that the situation in other mines is even worse, putting workers’ lives at risk.
The newspaper Arman reported on September 24 that Shabaz Hassanpour, a member of parliament, stated, “The condition of the coal mines in Kerman is a hundred times worse than that of the Tabas mine.”
Under these circumstances, Khamenei warned the IRGC forces, “The issue is not nuclear energy, human rights, or women’s rights; these are just excuses!”
This warning reflects Khamenei’s fear and anxiety about the public protests and organized resistance against the regime, which clearly threatens its survival.