A historic mistake: entrusting war and peace to one person—the shared error of our predecessors and the price we pay today S. Rouzbeh ۱۴۰۴/۰۶/۰۴ Iran’s crises, the author argues, expose the danger of a constitutional system that places decisions about war and peace in one leader’s hands. Concentrated power, filtered information and silenced criticism have left the country vulnerable to disastrous decisions; the author urges action before it is too late. S. Rouzbeh – Iran today is caught in a vortex of unprecedented crises: crippling inflation, water shortages and power cuts, pressure from the snapback mechanism, and international isolation. But the key question is this: why should the fate of ninety million people be tied to the decisions of one person? This is the historic mistake of the 1979 Constitution, which entrusted the leader with the power to decide on war and peace. The error provoked protests from many politicians and legal experts at the time, but was disregarded in the revolutionary climate, and today the people of Iran are paying the price. Article 110 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic placed the power to declare war and peace, as well as command of the armed forces, in the hands of the leader. Many warned at the time that concentrating such power in one person would lead to dictatorship. But the revolutionary climate and Ruhollah Khomeini’s charisma closed off any avenue for criticism. Now, after four decades, that fear has become reality. The complete seizure of power Over the years of his leadership, Khamenei brought all the country’s key institutions under his direct control: the Guardian Council, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the Expediency Discernment Council, and the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the army. The advisory circles of the “Leader’s Office”, instead of conveying the realities of society, place selective bulletins and reports before him. For years, the leader has been out of touch with the people; he has no direct connection with society, and his intellectual sustenance comes through closed security and military channels. It is only natural that decisions based on such filtered information should lead, in practice, to nothing but the country’s destruction. The Revolutionary Guard and the impenetrable fortress of the “Leader’s Office” The “Vali-ye Amr Protection Corps” unit and the security layers surrounding the leader have reduced access to him to a minimum. This arrangement controls not only his personal security but also the flow of information. In such a fortress, the leader hears only the voices of loyalists and military commanders; the voices of the people and independent experts have been silenced. An 86-year-old man Today, the country’s momentous decisions are in the hands of an 86-year-old man who, by virtue of his age, faces illnesses and a decline in mental capacity. Medicine tells us that, at this age, processing speed and judgement naturally decline. Yet Iran is trapped in a situation where war and peace, and the future of its people, depend on the feelings and obstinacy of such a person. A stark example was the coronavirus disaster: when Khamenei, out of personal distrust of American and British vaccines, banned their import and thousands of people became victims. Incompetence in a crisis Iran is now grappling with drought, power cuts, runaway inflation and international pressure. Instead of making decisions based on scientific data and the voices of independent experts, the regime’s “Leader” continues to rely on bulletins and the recommendations of security commanders. This is not only a sign of personal incompetence, but also a reflection of the structural error of concentrating power. A voice silenced Anyone who wrote a respectful letter in these years calling for reform, or offered well-intentioned criticism, was arrested and imprisoned. As a result, the “Leader’s” inner circle filled with flatterers and subordinates, not open-minded advisers. The silence imposed on society has further confined this “Leader” within the echo chamber of power. Historical comparison The experience of Nazi Germany shows that when those in the circles of power remain silent before a dictator, the country is driven to ruin. A number of German commanders tried to stop Hitler and lost their lives, but history recorded their names as those who “tried”. Today, too, the question arises: who has the moral responsibility to prevent this regime’s “Leader” from driving Iran into decline through his personal decisions? Conclusion The issue is not age or illness; it is a structure that has made everything dependent on one person’s decisions. This is neither a republic nor Islamic; it is an absolute dictatorship. The coronavirus experience showed that when even vaccines are withheld because of personal obstinacy, there can be little hope of sound decisions in greater crises. Our predecessors brought us to this point through silence or inaction. But today we must accept that continuing down this path will lead only to tomorrow’s regrets. It is still possible to prevent further harm; but tomorrow may be too late. Source: https://srouzbeh.com/en/posts/archive-3b92bdb5-7cb1-96d4-93cf-f26abde86e8a Please credit the author and link to this edition.