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Ebrahim Raisi

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Ebrahim Raisolsadati, commonly known as Ebrahim Raisi (1960–2024), was the (significantly more successful) Donald Trump of Iran, a wingnut, and the president of Iran from 2021 to 2024. He was a sayyid, a descendant of Muhammad, (which are identified by wearing a black turban). Prior to his stint as president, he was also an Islamic jurist as well. Despite having presented himself as a moderate and an anti-corruption leader, he was an Islamist.[1] responsible for grave human rights abuses and had overseen political repressions throughout his tenure as president and as a politician.[2]

As prosecutor general of Tehran between 1989 and 1994, Raisi earned the nickname Butcher of Tehran due to his role in overseeing the execution of thousands of political prisoners (among other crimes).[3] Unsurprisingly, his penchant for rule by violence continued into his presidency — after the death of Mahsa AminiWikipedia in 2022 (who was killed after morality police detained her for allegedly not wearing the hijab properly), the government of Raisi violently suppressed protesters, enforced an Internet blackout, arrested journalists, and punished any public criticism of the government.[4]

Raisi’s theocratic politics, macho strongman posturing, brutal political repression campaigns, and nationalistic racism have been noted by several commentators to be a light form of fascism, not dissimilar to American religious fascism or Hindutva.[5][6][7][8][9]

Rise to power[edit]

Raisi was born to a clerical family in Mashhad and was educated in Islamic studies under Ruhollah Khomeini himself. He became the Prosecutor of Karaj and Hamadan in 1981, only to be appointed as Prosecutor of Hamadan Province after four months. During the 1980s, he was responsible for ordering the executions and slaughters of thousands of protesters.[10]

Raisi campaigned as an opponent of the president at the time, Hassan Rouhani, and appealed himself to the country promising order in the country. After Raisi was elected, many opposed his ascendancy to power, including former Iranian president Ahmadinejad, who called out Raisi for his extremism.[11]

Becoming president[edit]

Raisi was elected president during the 2021 election in Iran, beating Mohsen Rezaee and Abdonnaser Hemmati. From there, he continued to paint himself as an anti-corruption politician, and dealt poorly with the COVID-19 pandemic in the country[2] (which was not entirely his fault as the country failed to respond properly to initial cases in 2020). However, he did little to change the policies and efficiently deal with COVID-19, even lamenting that the country was lagging behind in dealing with the pandemic.[12]

Theocracy[edit]

Raisi was an ultra-religious reactionary and a theocrat who believed Iran is a Muslim country and should remain so as such.[13] He and his administration had made baseless claims that Iran is a proudly Muslim-majority country, despite evidence from polls and surveys conducted privately showing otherwise.[14][15] Raisi ruled with an iron fist under the will of the Ayatollah, instilling his religious views into the government, though he had also done his fair share of damage to Iranian democracy.[16]

An example of Raisi’s extreme adherence to sharia law was his brutal crackdowns on young protestors since the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, especially women who engaged in protests by removing their hijabs to show their hair and burned their hijabs as a rebellious sign of protest.[17] Much like the Republican Party in there United States, Raisi and the various political parties associated with him and the ayatollah have been engaging in a war on women and women’s rights.

Antisemitism and Holocaust denial[edit]

Raisi had made several statements denying the Holocaust. In an interview with the United States television show 60 Minutes, he downplayed the Holocaust and claimed that "there are some signs that it happened but it should be investigated further".[18][19] Because of his antisemitic statements, he had received praise from white nationalists and neo-Nazis in the West (despite being an actual Aryan country, though this is why Iran is universally praised by the alt-right).[20][21]

In 2022, during protests by young Iranians against the tyranny of the Islamic regime, Raisi blamed the protests on America and the Zionist regime attempting to undermine Iran.[22]

Anti-Christian bigotry[edit]

Despite Raisi claiming to be friendly to Christian leaders in Western countries, his regime has been as bigoted against Christians as it has been against Jews.[23] Christians and other religious minorities are some of the first religious minority groups to feel the oppressive thumb of the Iranian government.[24]

Several human rights organizations have found reports of Raisi's administration imprisoning religious minorities such as atheists, deists, agnostics, Hindus, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Bahai's, Christians, and Jews among other groups on the basis of their religious identity.[25] UN experts have stated that disturbing cases of religious persecution have risen in recent years since Raisi took office.[26]

Homophobia[edit]

Raisi had referred to the LGBT community as "savagery" and had advocated for allowing the death penalty on gay citizens.[27] The Iranian government has been leading harassment campaigns against its gay and trans citizens and falsely charging them simply for being themselves.[28] Raisi had also sanctioned the execution of LGBT citizens and activists for spreading what he claims as "degeneracy".[29]

Raisi had praised other homophobic leaders and dictatorships (such as Uganda) whilst having attacked the West for their acceptance of LGBT rights.[30][31][32]

In spite of harsh treatment within the country, Iran’s LGBTQ+ community (including LGBT allies) has been going strong against government crackdowns, especially since the protests against the death of Mahsa Amini.[33]

Misogyny[edit]

Raisi had a terrible record when it comes to women. He and his administration were responsible for the rise of violent attacks against women and girls, especially after the anti-hijab protests that followed the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of the morality police. As of September 2022, Iranian women protesting against the regime have been kidnapped, tortured, and killed, only creating more anger within the country and for the country's women.[34] Some of the crimes Raisi was responsible for were (just to name a few) the execution of 30 women, the slaughter of 400 women, the torture of 36 women, and the lashing of 24 women.[35]

Politicide[edit]

Raisi had called for politicides of his opponents, suppressing dissent from those he saw as not aligned with the regime. An example of this was the 1988 executions, when Raisi carried out a mass murder of political opponents under the order of Ruhollah Khomeini.[36][37] Raisi had also ordered a heavy internet crackdown and had most of the internet blocked within the country (meaning no access to sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.).[38]

Since the protests that began in September 2022, Raisi had cracked down heavily on the protestors, heavily monitoring them and their families and sanctioning torturing them to death.[39] These authoritarian actions and his arch-conservative style of governance had led him to be labeled as a fascist and compared to fascists like Hitler.[40]

Friendliness with fellow authoritarians[edit]

Raisi had been friendly with fellow fascists such as Bashar al-Assad[41] and Erdoğan (two other Islamist dictators),[42] as well as Modi (an Islamophobe and the leader of another actual Aryan country).[43] Raisi called for establishing relations with Saudi Arabia and their leaders during times of lessening tensions between the two countries as a result of the foreign policy incompetence of the United States and aid from China to strengthen ties.[44][45] Despite this possible chance of a relationship, Iran has adopted the ideological position of anti-Arabism from the Pan-Iranist Party during the proxy conflict with Saudi Arabia.[46][47]

Raisi had also supported Putin and his invasion of Ukraine by supplying Russia with weapons in addition to meeting with and calling Putin to state his support for his military actions[48] and establishing deeper ties and relationships between the two countries.[49][50] This is mostly because both countries are opposed to the West because of crippling sanctions and anti-American sentiment from the government, and the war gives Iran an advantage to supply its oil to Russia and boost its unstable economy. However, it's likely only a matter of time until Iran pulls its support for Russia much like every other country has done, as supporting a pariah state is the worst decision you can possibly make for your own country.[51]

General human rights violations[edit]

Raisi is responsible for a number of human rights violations and has been called to be tried in international court by Amnesty International.[52] His invitation to the US and his subsequent speech at the United Nations General Assembly was heavily criticized by human rights groups and by people on the left and the right.[53][54]

Despite Raisi ranting about human rights in a speech he made at the UN headquarters (with some legitimate criticisms), his own forces have been suppressing dissent and human rights in Iran.[55] Because of Raisi's extremism, many observers of the events worldwide worry about the possible events that could unfold as Iran's access to nuclear armament could easily set off a war in the region not unlike the war in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan.[56]

Raisi’s general treatment of Iranian citizens has been criticized by various world leaders outside the West as well, such as the Azerbaijani president who cancelled a meeting with the Iranian leader due to tensions with Iran and their leaders for causing the deaths of several hundred soldiers on both sides.[57]

Undignified end[edit]

In the same fate as Yevgeny Prigozhin and Lech Kaczyński, Raisi was reported to have been on a helicopter that mysteriously crash-landed in a way that media outlets euphemistically called a "hard landing". His status was unknown at the time while there was a search and rescue operation under way. After several hours of searching by Iranian authorities, his body was found and he was confirmed dead.[58]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Iran's Ebrahim Raisi: The hardline cleric who became president. BBC, 5 August 2021.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Miriam Berger, What to know about Ebrahim Raisi, the front-runner in Iran’s presidential election. Archived from The Washington Post, 16 June 2021.
  3. "Who Is Ebrahim Raisi? Iran’s President—Nicknamed ‘Butcher Of Tehran’—Dies In Helicopter Crash." by Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 2024 May 20
  4. "Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, known for brutal crackdowns against political opposition, dies at 63" by Doha Madani, NBC News, 2024 May 20
  5. Mullahs’ Regime Representative Appointed Vice President of UNGA: Threat to Human Rights and International Peace NCRI 2nd June 2023
  6. DEBATES POST-FASCISM AND THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN The Philosophical Salon Nadir Lahiji
  7. Iran’s Nazi-Fascism and How You Can Help Fight It AEI By Danielle Pletka, January 13, 2010
  8. The Coming End Of Islamic Fascism In Iran Forbes.com Jul 22, 2010,02:15pm EDT
  9. To Defeat the Islamic Fascism of Iran and Turkey, We Must Delegitimize the Ideology Providence By Nadine Maenza & Brandon H. Wheeler on January 3, 2020
  10. Iran’s president-elect, Ebrahim Raisi, is hardliner linked with mass executions The Guardian Patrick Wintour Sat 19 Jun 2021 07.07 EDT
  11. Iran election: Hardliner Raisi will become president BBC 19 June 2021
  12. Raisi Tells First Cabinet Meeting That Iran Is 'Seriously Lagging Behind' As Virus Woes Mount Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty August 26 2021
  13. Join Protest Against Iran President Raisi at UN on September 21 International Emergency Campaign to Free Iran's Political Prisoners Now, Campaign Update September 4, 2022
  14. Why Is Iran’s Secular Shift So Hard to Believe? How two researchers got to the heart of a polling problem: the skewing effect of fear. Intelligencer
  15. Survey Zoroastrians: Online Religious Identification in the Islamic Republic of Iran Wiley Online Library
  16. Iran: The Riddle of Raisi International Crisis Group 05 AUGUST 2021
  17. ‘War On Women’ Intensifies With Hijab Crackdown In Iran Iran International
  18. ‘Some signs’: Iran’s president casts doubt on Holocaust, calls Israel ‘false regime’ The Times of Israel By Michael Bachner, 19 September 2022, 6:53 am
  19. Iran’s Raisi says research needed to verify if Holocaust happened The Jerusalem Post SEPTEMBER 19, 2022
  20. How Not to Talk About the Holocaust The Atlantic Yair Rosenberg
  21. Ebrahim Raisi’s predictable ‘CBS News’ performance Jewish Chronicle September 21 2022
  22. Khamenei Blames Iran Protests on U.S. and 'Zionist Regime' Haaretz Oct 3, 2022
  23. What will a Raisi presidency mean for Iran’s Christians? Article Eighteen 22 June 2021
  24. Fears for Christians in Iran after hardliner Raisi wins election Premier Christian News Jun 19 2021 by Donna Birrell
  25. Iran’s New President Poses a Great Threat to Religious Minorities Religious Freedom Institute July 8 2021
  26. Iran: UN experts alarmed by escalating religious persecution OHCHR 22 August 2022
  27. Iran president Raisi said homosexuality is ‘nothing but savagery’ The Jerusalem Post By Benjamin Weinthal, August 25, 2021
  28. The Farda Briefing: Iranian Authorities Crack Down On LGBT Community Radio Free Liberty/Radio Europe September 07, 2022 12:38 By Golnaz Esfandiari
  29. Iran sentences 2 LGBTQ rights activists to death for "spreading corruption on earth," rights groups say CBS News September 5, 2022 / 11:58 AM EDT / AFP
  30. On Uganda Visit, Iran’s President Praises Country’s Harsh Anti- LGBTQ Law VOA News July 13, 2023 5:31 PM By Halima Athumani
  31. "Acting Against Inheritance": Iran President Attacks West On LGBTQ Rights 'NDTV World July 13, 2023 4:32 am IST
  32. In Uganda, Iranian President Attacks West On LGBT Rights Radio Free Liberty/Radio Europe July 12, 2023 19:35 GMT
  33. Iran protests: LGBTQ community rises up BBC News By Khosro Kalbasi Isfahani 19 April 2023
  34. How Misogyny Imperiled Iran’s Regime Foreign Policy By Farzaneh Milani OCTOBER 14, 2022, 5:13 PM
  35. Record of Ebrahim Raisi in the Oppression of Women NCRI June `6, 2021
  36. Iran Head of Judiciary’s First Year Marred by Political Executions Iran Human Rights 3 Apr 21
  37. Raisi: Role in 1988 Massacre The Iran Primer By Andrew Hanna July 21 2021
  38. How Iran Is Using the Protests to Block More Open Internet Access Scientific American By Sophie Bushwick, October 13, 2022
  39. 'This is a revolution': Iran 'fascists' on alert after firebomb attack on Ayatollah's home Express By CIARAN MCGRATH 06:55, Mon, Nov 21, 2022
  40. On Israel TV, prisoners who escaped Iran’s 1988 killings compare Raisi to Hitler Christian United For Israel
  41. Syria's Assad pays rare visit to ally Iran DW News 05/08/2022May 8, 2022
  42. Erdogan to Iran’s Raisi: Islamic world should unite against Israeli attacks The Times of Israel By Jacob Magid 8 April 2023, 8:32 am
  43. Narendra Modi, archived from Twitter, 16 September 2022.
  44. Iran’s Raisi welcomes invitation from king to visit Saudi Arabia Al Jazeera 19 Mar 2023
  45. Saudi Arabia invites Iranian president to visit in latest sign of rapprochement Financial Times
  46. Pan-Iranism: New Tactics of Conservatives in Iran International Policy Digest April 8, 2016
  47. Iran, Saudi Arabia agree to resume ties, with China’s help Politico 03/10/2023 12:44 PM EST
  48. Iranian President Gives 'Full Support' to Putin in Call The Moscow times By AFP June 26, 2023
  49. Putin, Raisi discuss deepening ties between Russia and Iran Al Jazeera 12 Nov 2022
  50. Putin, Raisi agree to strengthen Russian-Iranian ties Xinhua net 2021-09-14 23:39:33
  51. From Hitler and Stalin to Putin and Raisi: Why Downplaying Evil Is So Dangerous The Algemeiner JULY 22, 2022 9:16 AM
  52. Iran: Ebrahim Raisi must be investigated for crimes against humanity Amnesty International June 19, 2021
  53. Ebrahim Raisi Is A Monster. His Entry Into The U.S. Was Inexcusable | Opinion Newsweek Published Sep 22, 2022 at 7:00 AM EDT
  54. Rights groups call for probe into Iran's Raisi for crimes against humanity Reuters June 19, 202111:53 AM EDT
  55. As Iran’s Raisi rails about human rights at UN, his own shock troops pounce at home The Independent Wednesday 21 September 2022 19:07 BST
  56. Iran's President Vows To Continue Nuclear Activities Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty April 09, 2022 13:03 GMT
  57. Azeri President Launches Broadside Against Iran Iran International 11/25/2022
  58. Iran's President Raisi killed in helicopter crash CNN