The Importance of the Domino Effect

How a national boycott can change Iran's future

One act of bravery can release a flood of collective action.

Dictatorships seeking to survive all follow a similar playbook. Rule number one, grab power through fear, intimidation and instilling a sense of helplessness in the population. No authoritarian regime can enjoy longevity if its citizens feel empowered enough to take it on. Rule number two, and perhaps even more importantly - a dictatorship must project a certain legitimacy towards the outside world. The Soviet Union, Cuba, North Korea and China have all tried, or are still attempting, to convince the international community of their right to exist; that the people are fully and wholly behind their rulers. That they’re not just in power through the first playbook rule, but rather the latter.

This is often done through strict manipulation of information, and iron fisted control of a country’s media. Anything which might indicate dissent is scrubbed from the internet, and whoever challenges the state narrative is hunted down to face an uncertain fate. Public gatherings in support of a dictator are often staged and exaggerated, forcing involuntary attendance to boost numbers. The goal is to get free countries to conclude that “Okay, it might be a murderous dictatorship, but that seems to be what the people of that country wants”.

In the case of Iran, the Islamic Republic has decided to choose a slightly different route, as evident by their upcoming shambolic faux-elections. The regime in Iran, although a dictatorship by every definition of the word, desperately wants to appear democratic through an extremely rigged, unfair and pre-determined election process. I won’t bother to delve into the candidates, because the only real candidate is the Supreme Leader, and it literally matters nothing who he handpicks for president. This reality is not lost on us. Citizens in Iran have through every election cycle become more and more disillusioned with the bizarre joke of a republic Iran has been since 1979. This year, as a result of a particularly gruesome and horrifyingly deadly few years, we are looking at a national boycott of the election, which is part of the “No to the Islamic Republic”- online campaign spearheaded by normal citizens, celebrities and Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.

Estimates range from 40%, down to 25% and even lower. It can’t be overstated how unprecedented this national rejection is. After multiple massacres, a disastrous pandemic and an economy crushing down towards Venezuela’s level, even naive reformists and previous believers in the Islamic Republic have lost faith. 

The world is watching, and the imploding failed state established by Khomeini is on its last legs. Nobody understands the consequences of losing the pretence of legitimacy better than the Islamic Republic, whose survival hinges on it. For this reason, they have in a desperate fashion established “speaker’s corners” all across Iran to drum up excitement and to drive up the voter turnout. Regime representatives hand microphones to average citizens, asking them about their voter intentions before crowds of spectators. For the mullahs, this effort is a last ditch attempt at getting out the vote among a suffering, fed up and furious population.

However, to the delight of every decent Iranian and to the horror of both the regime and its lobbyists in the West, this effort has backfired completely. Iranian women and men from all backgrounds, ages and social statuses have started to publicly denounce the entire Islamic Republic, declaring their refusal to vote. They use regime-provided stages and loudspeakers to call for a referendum on Khomeini’s disastrous project. Videos of brave citizens taking on their oppressors have spread like wildfire across social media, inspiring others to come out to speak their mind as well, perhaps for the first time in their lives. The hosts are visibly dumbfounded and taken by surprise. With smartphones, VPNs and access to social media Iranians can now bypass regime filters and share this incredible footage among themselves. As of now, the number of videos is increasing rapidly, indicating a domino effect of abused, mistreated citizens finally taking a stand against a morally and financially bankrupt theocracy.

With every act of courage like these, Iranians realise that we outnumber Khamenei’s thugs and lackeys by a hundred to one. Every time one compatriot dares to speak out for decency, freedom and humanity, we are reminded that in Iran, the vast majority does not support the dictators in charge, regardless of what they project to the outside world. Action inspires action, and nothing is more terrifying to a totalitarian regime than the collective bravery of millions. 

Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, a master propagandist and professional wolf in sheep’s clothing, once used a previous voter turnout of 73% to justify the regime’s existence. Our goal is to decimate this line of argument entirely, and to drive the turnout as low as possible. If you feel alone in this fight, know that you aren’t. Understand that the hopelessness and loneliness you feel is their desired emotions. They want you to feel as if nobody is on your side, and for four decades, they have succeeded. It’s our duty, regardless of what system we wish for in a liberated Iran, to lift each other up and join the brave compatriots defying Khamenei on the street corners of every city, town and village. 

We must not only be their voices - we must raise our own as well.