Want Real Regime Change In Iran? Support The Minorities First
If the world, especially the U.S. and Israel, wants real change in Iran, they need to stop relying on old exiled politicians and start supporting the people who are already resisting the regime on the ground: Iran's ethnic minorities or, better yet, the non-Persian ethnic groups.
(Source: CIA)
Who Are These Minorities/Non-Persian Ethnic Groups?
Iran is not just Persians. It is made up of many other peoples, including Kurds in the west, Baloch in the southeast, Ahwazi Arabs in the south, Azeris in the northwest, and Turkmen in the northeast.
These groups make up 50 percent of Iran's population and have been oppressed for decades, having no rights to speak their language, no political power, and often being targeted with violence by the regime.
Why They Matter
They have suffered the most under the regime, so they are the most motivated to fight back.
They live in the border regions, which makes it easier for them to connect with neighboring countries and resist Tehran's control.
They trust neither the Shah nor the Islamic Republic – they have been betrayed by both in the past.
What Is Not Working
The West keeps listening to Persian elites in exile – especially monarchists like Reza Pahlavi, the Shah's son. But these people have zero power inside Iran and no support from minorities, who remember how badly the Shah treated them.
Whenever movements like Jin, Jiyan, Azadî ("Woman, Life, Freedom"), which started from the Kurdish community, rise up, the moment someone tries to turn it into a pro-Shah campaign, people leave the streets. They have seen this trick before.
What Should Be Done?
Support real grassroots movements especially those led by Kurds, Baloch, Arabs, and others.
Give them security guarantees – because last time they trusted outside powers or the Shah, they were betrayed and slaughtered.
Push for federalism or local autonomy, not another centralized Persian dictatorship.
The Bottom Line
If you want real regime change in Iran, stop pretending the exiled elite will save the country. The real opposition is already inside Iran and it is the minorities. Support them, and you support freedom. Ignore them, and you are just repeating history.
They should suffocate the regime, not support it by the controlled opposition of the shah.
*Pel Berwari is a Kurdish activist based in Kurdistan.
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