The Price of Blood, Freedom, and the Hypocrisy of the "Free World"

Another round of fighting has ended, leaving behind a trail of destruction, pain, and loss. Nights of sirens, interceptions in the Middle Eastern sky, damage to property, injuries, and deaths. Behind every missile and interceptor lie human stories of anxiety, of homes destroyed, and of lives cut short. Now, as it seems we are heading towards a calm, leaders and commentators rush to declare strategic victories, and it appears the world can move on.

Alongside the heavy price paid in body, soul, and property by many, there is another level of payment being made: the outcome of the conflict with Iran has left the brutal, fundamentalist Shiite regime in power, largely with the backing and sponsorship of the "Free World." This price is paid by the Iranian citizens who will continue to live under this tyrannical, totalitarian, extremist, and cruel regime—a regime cruel first and foremost to the Iranian people themselves. Millions of citizens remain imprisoned under a despotism that can now turn its resources inward, toward the continued oppression of its people.

But this story is incomplete without turning the spotlight on the leaders of the Western world. The universal values they champion—liberalism, freedom, and human and civil rights—are not truly universal in their eyes, but rather are valid only within the borders of their own countries. While they promote these values at home, their foreign policy toward the Ayatollah's regime reflects a pragmatism of 'business as usual.' They continue to maintain full diplomatic relations, systematically ignoring the plight of the Iranian people, thereby granting legitimacy to a regime that tramples on those very same rights.

This policy has a clear result: it provides the Iranian regime with the international legitimacy it needs to continue suppressing its citizens. The gap between diplomatic engagements and the daily reality for citizens in Iran is manifested in a life under the Ayatollah's regime that is not just a political struggle, but a daily battle for survival:

• Collapsing Economy: Official inflation in Iran stands at around 40%, but independent estimates suggest much higher rates. The Iranian Rial has lost its value catastrophically—a reality that turns basic goods into luxuries for many.

• Brutal Oppression: Iran leads the world in the number of executions per capita; at least 975 people have been executed in Iran in 2024. Thousands of political prisoners, including journalists, lawyers, and activists, are incarcerated in harsh conditions for criticizing the regime.

• Freedom of Expression is Nonexistent: In the World Press Freedom Index by "Reporters Without Borders," Iran is ranked 177th out of 180 countries. The internet is heavily censored, social networks are blocked, and citizens are under constant surveillance.

• Collapse of Public Systems: According to reports from international bodies and research institutes (like the Institute for National Security Studies and Amnesty International), Iran's healthcare system suffers from a severe shortage of medicine and medical equipment. This is due, in part, to systemic corruption and the allocation of massive budgets to the Revolutionary Guards at the expense of public services. Concurrently, the same sources point to a severe water crisis in vast regions, a direct result of long-term environmental neglect and mismanagement.

A Silence Worth its Weight in Gold (for the Ayatollah's Regime)

For various reasons and interests known to them, the leaders of Western countries continue to ignore Iranian tyranny and, most importantly, continue to ignore the Iranian people themselves. They are not only betraying their declared values—they are, in effect, becoming silent partners in oppression. They signal to the regime in Tehran that everything is permissible, that there is no price for its actions, and that the world will keep spinning even if thousands more protesters are executed.

As the geopolitical struggle subsides (at least for a while and at least outward), it can be stated that these people, the citizens of Iran, are not only the primary payers of the price of their leaders' tyranny—they are also the victims of the indifference of those who lead what is, at least in title, the "Free World."

Image: The leaders of Germany, France, and Iran