In a strikingly candid admission of internal rot, Ezzatollah Zarghami, a former minister in the Iranian regime and current member of the Expediency Discernment Council, has launched a scathing critique of officials within the ruling establishment. In an interview with state television, he accused them of actively undermining public trust, what he terms “social capital,” thereby dangerously fueling societal dissatisfaction and increasing the risk of popular uprisings. His remarks, made during a “Cognitive Warfare” conference and broadcast on state television, offer a rare glimpse into the regime’s anxieties about its own internal weaknesses and diminishing popular legitimacy.
He bluntly said, “Know that the most important pillar of security is social capital; if we had social capital, we would have no concerns about security.”
Zarghami lamented that certain influential figures are directly responsible for the erosion of the regime’s standing with the populace. He warned, “If, God forbid, people who have platforms… see no mission for themselves other than reducing social capital, these people are working against the leadership’s social capital.” This admission highlights a critical internal contradiction: elements within the regime itself are perceived as a primary cause of the very public anger that threatens its stability. By actively diminishing trust, these officials are, in Zarghami’s view, behaving like a fifth column, sapping the regime’s strength from within.
Drawing a potent historical parallel, Zarghami invoked Sermon 97 from Nahj al-Balagha, where Imam Ali expresses profound frustration with the incompetence and disloyalty of his own followers. “The Commander of the Faithful becomes very upset with his companions… in that Sermon 97, he says, I wish I could give ten of you and take one from Muawiyah’s army,” Zarghami recounted.
#Khamenei Spins Narratives to Boost Low Morale Amid #Iran’s Mounting Criseshttps://t.co/zEOHf5dAQf
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He then directly applied this damning analogy to the current regime and said, “The translation of this in our world today is if the Supreme Leader, God forbid, wants to be dissatisfied with the likes of Zarghami and says I want to give ten like you… and take one from the opposing army.” Such a comparison suggests that the actions of these officials are so detrimental that they render them less valuable than even a single competent adversary, underscoring a deep crisis of capability and loyalty at the heart of the regime.
Zarghami further elaborated on the destructive impact of these internal elements by redefining what constitutes a true “warrior” for the regime in the current climate. According to him, it is not military might but the ability to foster public support that is paramount. “Sir, today a warrior is someone who produces social capital,” he declared. “If someone in the camp of Velayat (Guardianship of the Jurist) could produce social capital for the system, for the leadership, for religion, for the Imam, for the revolution, one of them is equivalent to 1000 enemies we have.” Conversely, those who diminish this vital resource are portrayed as liabilities, actively working against the regime’s interests.
Zarghami’s extraordinary remarks expose deep alarm within regime circles, highlighting both collapsing morale and the self-sabotaging actions of the regime’s own officials. By openly admitting that insiders are fueling public discontent, he implicitly validates the widespread grievances of the Iranian people—and underscores the regime’s growing vulnerability to renewed protests and uprisings.