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Better sense has prevailed in Iran as protesters have taken a backseat amid a much lenient response from the government. The breakthrough was evident as the Islamic Republic stayed away from executing alleged spies. That came as a thaw with the US which had threatened to use force against Iran as a mark of ‘retaliation’, after having stirred the protesters to stay put on streets, awaiting its blatant meddling.
Tehran on its part heaved a sigh of relief as millions demonstrated in favour of the government in many major cities, pushing back the dissenting voices to a footnote. Last but not least, President Pezeshkian’s damage control measures to beef up the economy by working on an obliterating riyal and providing cash relief to the masses had stuck the right chords. Also, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi came up with a timely intervention assuring the Western capitals that “no hangings” will take place, and reportedly sought help from the allies to broker an understanding with the US. That gesture worked wonders and a trigger-happy Trump was surprisingly seen taking a back foot, hoping that Iran will uphold ‘human rights’.
Tehran was quite successful in assuring its domestic audience that the ‘uprising’ is synthetic and is backed by Israeli agents holed up at home and abroad. That pushback in narrative has worked for the time being, and streets have reportedly gone quiet. Iran, however, has a responsibility to shoulder and that is to work closely with dissenting voices for an inclusive administration, and one that discovers new vistas for opening up with the outside world and addressing the pestering economic woes.
Washington, meanwhile, must desist from interfering in Iranian affairs. Its modus operandi in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Lebanon has left behind miserable memories of death and destruction. It was neither able to build those respective nations, nor uplift their social strata. This thaw comes as an opportunity in disaster for both the US and Iran to get talking, and end the decades of mistrust. The regime change mantra is untenable.
