Legacy of Blood and Ruin: A Review of the Crimes of the Iranian Regime and the Export of Terrorism (article)

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Legacy of Blood and Ruin: A Review of the Crimes of the Iranian Regime and the Export of Terrorism

The establishment of the current regime in Iran in 1979 was not merely an ordinary political change in the region's history; it was a harbinger of a dark era characterized by the adoption of an ideology based on exporting revolution, imposing extremist sectarian hegemony, and utilizing terrorism as a primary tool in foreign and domestic policy. The Iranian state, with its capabilities and institutions, transformed into something akin to a machine producing ruin and fueling conflicts, making the Iranian regime one of the prominent causes of instability in the Middle East and the world. Studying the record of this regime's crimes requires a holistic view covering its brutal practices against its own people, its flagrant interference in the affairs of neighboring countries, and its direct sponsorship of terrorist organizations that have spread death and destruction far and wide.

The systematic crimes of the Iranian regime began from its very first moments, as it worked to consolidate its power through widespread purges targeting comrades of the revolution before traditional opponents. The early years of the regime witnessed mass executions without fair trials, targeting intellectuals, students, women, and any voice daring to criticize the approach of the "Velayat-e Faqih" (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist). These crimes were not limited to political opponents but extended to ethnic and religious minorities, who were brutally suppressed and had their fundamental rights confiscated. Iranian prisons, led by the notorious Evin Prison, turned into human slaughterhouses, where prisoners were subjected to the harshest forms of physical and psychological torture, and the regime refined methods of repression to ensure societal submission and silence any voice calling for freedom or democracy.

One of the bloodiest chapters in the history of this regime was the massacre of political prisoners in 1988, where direct orders were issued from the highest levels to execute thousands of prisoners who were already serving their sentences. These executions were carried out in absolute secrecy, and the victims were buried in mass graves whose markers still exist to this day, in a crime against humanity for which no one has been held accountable. This massacre reflects the criminal mentality of the regime, which does not hesitate to exterminate its own people to maintain its hold on power, and it is not an isolated incident, but part of a continuous approach practiced by the regime against any dissenting voice, both internally and through the assassination of opponents abroad.

Externally, the Iranian regime adopted a strategy based on direct interference in the affairs of other countries, using sectarian doctrine as a cover for its expansionist ambitions. The regime established what is known as the "Axis of Resistance," which is in reality a network of terrorist militias acting as its military arms outside its borders. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is the mastermind and main financier of this network, training, arming, and funding terrorist groups in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and Syria. These militias do not pledge allegiance to their own nations, but to the Supreme Leader in Iran, working to undermine the sovereignty of states and destabilize their security, which has led to the collapse of state institutions in many of these regions and the spread of chaos.

In Lebanon, the Iranian regime contributed directly to the creation and support of Hezbollah, which transformed from a small militia into a military force surpassing the Lebanese army itself in armament. The regime used Hezbollah as a tool to impose its will on the Lebanese scene, launching devastating wars that drove the country to ruin, in addition to carrying out international terrorist operations. Hezbollah's role was not limited to Lebanon but extended to become an Iranian tool for interference in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, participating in the killing of Arab peoples to defend the interests of the Iranian regime. The Hezbollah model is the clearest example of how the Iranian regime transforms an Arab state into a hostage to its expansionist project.

In Iraq, the Iranian regime worked systematically to weaken the Iraqi state after 2003, through support for extremist sectarian militias that practiced killing and displacement on sectarian grounds. These militias, acting on orders from the IRGC, worked to entrench Iranian influence in the joints of the Iraqi state, loot the country's resources, and undermine any attempt to build an independent national state. The crimes committed by these militias against the Iraqi people are innumerable, from assassinations of activists and journalists to the suppression of popular protests demanding services and freedom, leaving Iraq in a state of continuous instability.

In Syria, the Iranian regime played the largest role in prolonging the civil war, intervening militarily and directly to save the regime of Bashar al-Assad. The IRGC transferred thousands of fighters from its various militias to Syria, participating in the bombing of Syrian cities and committing horrific massacres against defenseless civilians. Iran's goal in Syria was not to protect the people, but to maintain a strategic corridor linking it to Hezbollah in Lebanon, and to ensure the survival of an allied regime, even if it came at the cost of the blood of hundreds of thousands of Syrians and the total destruction of the country. Iranian intervention in Syria represents one of the ugliest forms of systematic terrorism practiced by states.

In Yemen, the Iranian regime provided unlimited military and financial support to the Houthi militia, which overthrew the Yemeni legitimacy and destroyed the country. Iranian support contributed to transforming the Houthis from a local rebellion movement into a force capable of threatening international navigation in the Red Sea and launching missile and drone attacks against neighboring countries. Iranian interference in Yemen has caused a humanitarian catastrophe that is the worst in the world, with the Yemeni people suffering from hunger and disease due to the war fueled by the Iranian regime, using Yemen as an arena to settle its regional scores.

The crimes of the Iranian regime are not limited to military intervention but also include the use of terrorism as a diplomatic tool. The regime has been involved in assassination operations and bombings around the world, targeting political opponents, diplomats, and civilian facilities. Iran's record in international terrorism is long and packed, starting from the Beirut bombings in the eighties, through the Khobar bombings in Saudi Arabia, to the assassinations of opponents in Europe, and up to the attempted bombings thwarted in several Western capitals. These practices confirm that the Iranian regime does not respect international laws or state sovereignty, but operates with a gang mentality that does not hesitate to use violence to achieve its goals.

Economically, the Iranian regime has looted the resources of the Iranian people and directed them to finance its terrorist activities and militias abroad, while Iranians suffer from poverty and high inflation. Instead of investing in education, health, and infrastructure, the regime spends billions of dollars on the IRGC and its military programs, leading to the collapse of the local currency and the deterioration of the standard of living. This approach shows that the regime does not care about the welfare of its people, but only seeks to entrench its regional influence through military force and intimidation, making it a regime lacking popular legitimacy and dependent for its survival on domestic repression.

The ideology upon which the Iranian regime is based, founded on the concept of "Velayat-e Faqih," is an exclusionary ideology that does not recognize pluralism or democracy. This extremist thought allows the regime to justify its crimes under a religious cover, and to portray its opponents as enemies of religion and humanity. The combination of religious and political authority in the person of the Supreme Leader grants him absolute power, placing him above accountability and scrutiny, thereby opening the door wide to committing more crimes without fear of punishment. This model of governance is an authoritarian model par excellence, with no place in it for human rights or fundamental freedoms.

In conclusion, the record of the Iranian regime's crimes is long and horrific, stretching from the brutal repression of its own people to the spreading of chaos and terrorism in the region and the world. This regime has never been a partner in peace or stability, but has always been a source of wars and conflicts. The continuation of this regime in its practices constitutes a direct threat to international security and peace, requiring the international community to take firm and united stances to stop its crimes. The blood of the victims in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen cries out for the necessity of holding this regime accountable, and working to end the era of blood and ruin it has imposed on the region.

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