While the political leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran celebrate their thirty-seventh year of oppressive rule in Iran by sponsoring celebrations in schools and airing fabricated stories on Iranian history while using the nation’s money, scholars and historians view this as an anniversary of the darkest moment of Iran’s history, a time where tyranny and government crimes against its own people became the new norm.

Thirty-seven years have passed since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in our country, ushering in a tumultuous period in which our country’s environment has been systematically destroyed. Poverty, political corruption, bribery, substance use disorders, prostitution, economic injustice, youth crimes, suppression of women, irreverence of military veterans and heroes, imprisonment, humiliation, torture and execution of Iranian citizens of various political, ideological, or gender movements, and harassment of political prisoner’s families by the government have become the norm. In addition, millions of Iranian citizens have been rendered homeless while others have been displaced abroad. The smoke created by this murderous mafia regime permeates the entire country.

My fellow compatriots,

It is evident that Iranian citizens feel that the Islamic Republic of Iran is not an acceptable and legitimate form of government.

Yesterday, in the name of religion, God and the struggle against western imperialism, the government raised their flag in Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. Today, the government manages to stay in power through the use of lies, prevarication, and deception by fake attempts at government reform and establishment of more moderate policies.

History has repeatedly proven that ultimately unity, nationalism, and aspirations of change will overcome even the harshest of dictatorships, as evidenced by countries such as India, South Africa, Serbia, Ukraine, the Soviet Union, Poland, Hungary and Chile. So too will the totalitarian regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran come to an end by the will of the people.

Currently, it is in our best interests to abstain from participating in any of the Islamic Republic’s elections so as to not legitimize their government. Let us not forget, not voting is really a vote against the Islamic Republic. Not voting will show the entire world that we are saying ‘no’ to the whole entity of the Islamic Republic’s regime.

We can liberate ourselves similarly to other nations of the world who have overcome dictatorships. With unified national aspirations built upon our national will, we will achieve what is necessary and worthy of the great Iranian nation.

Reza Pahlavi