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Four-minute read<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Today, it is universally acknowledged that true democracy and genuine elections are absent in Iran. Over the past four decades, the clerical regime has systematically eliminated or persecuted dissenters and even disqualified numerous former state officials through the Guardian Council, a tight-knit group of twelve directly and indirectly appointed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Hence, every electoral cycle has become a mere spectacle, devoid of any real democratic essence.<\/p>\n However, the recent sudden rise of Masoud Pezeshkian<\/a> in the political landscape has left many politicians and analysts puzzled. Speculations about this decision are abundant, with supporting arguments for various theories. However, what is clear are the realities Khamenei is facing:<\/p>\n After 24 years of false promises about real change from within the regime by figures like Hashemi Rafsanjani, Mohammad Khatami, and Hassan Rouhani, no serious political force or Western government harbors illusions about Pezeshkian. Besides lacking the political weight of his predecessors, he doesn\u2019t even claim to deviate from Khamenei’s fundamental principles.<\/p>\n Dreadful of popular uprisings demanding the overthrow of his regime since 2017, Khamenei initiated a years-long project to consolidate power. After failing to elevate Ebrahim Raisi to the presidency in the 2017 elections, Khamenei sidelined a serious rival, Sadeq Larijani, replacing him with Raisi as head of the judiciary the same year. As Chief Justice<\/a>, Raisi purged internal rivals in the Judiciary, further tightening Khamenei’s grip.<\/p>\n After the nationwide uprising of the Iranian people in 2019 and the bloody suppression of the people’s revolt, Khamenei concluded that the only way to confront future uprisings was to consolidate the power in the regime at any cost and form a government with his most devoted pawn, namely Ebrahim Raisi<\/a>.<\/p>\n In 2020, Khamenei \u201ccleansed\u201d the parliament of undesirables, filling the eleventh Majlis<\/em> with former IRGC commanders. By 2021, after eliminating high-ranking officials like Ali Larijani to pave the way for Raisi’s rise to power, Khamenei took further steps to consolidate control by installing key IRGC figures in the government and regional administrations. This strategy enabled Khamenei to pursue grand adventures in the Middle East<\/a>, overshadowing domestic uprisings with foreign conflicts like the one already ensuing in Gaza and the Red Sea.<\/p>\n For years, Khamenei\u2019s twofold strategic priorities have been preserving the regime and ensuring his succession by a trusted figure, goals he was advancing through Raisi. However, Raisi’s sudden death dealt a significant blow to Khamenei<\/a>, disrupting the regime’s internal balance with even the sidelined factions reemerging to conquer the executive helm.<\/p>\n The death of Ebrahim Raisi, the clerical regime\u2019s President represents a monumental and irreparable strategic blow to the mullahs\u2019 Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the entire regime, notorious for its executions and massacres. It will trigger a series of repercussions and crises\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/2XW5a5NQoI<\/a><\/p>\n — Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) May 20, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe Raisi project<\/h3>\n
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