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| MARYAM RAJAVI IN PARIS |
The Middle East is in state of peril and chaos that is unprecedented in recent history. There are wars raging in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, and these are increasingly taking on the appearance of one overarching sectarian conflict.
Islamic fundamentalism is growing on both sides of this divide, becoming more than an isolated geopolitical concern and leaving the West struggling to understand how to prevent it from threatening the very heart of modern, democratic societies.
And at the center of all of this stands the Iranian regime, tying together the forces of Shiite extremism, driving recruitment for their Sunni opponents, and using a perversion of the Muslim faith to justify domestic abuses and dangerous regional policies. Almost two years into the tenure of Hassan Rouhani as the regime’s president, the human rights situation in Iran has been on a slippery slope and reform and moderation are as elusive as ever. Notwithstanding the issue of Iran’s nuclear program, Tehran faces a moribund economy, rampant and pervasive state corruption, a restive and disillusioned population, intensifying factional feuding, and further regional isolation.
Islamic fundamentalism is growing on both sides of this divide, becoming more than an isolated geopolitical concern and leaving the West struggling to understand how to prevent it from threatening the very heart of modern, democratic societies.
And at the center of all of this stands the Iranian regime, tying together the forces of Shiite extremism, driving recruitment for their Sunni opponents, and using a perversion of the Muslim faith to justify domestic abuses and dangerous regional policies. Almost two years into the tenure of Hassan Rouhani as the regime’s president, the human rights situation in Iran has been on a slippery slope and reform and moderation are as elusive as ever. Notwithstanding the issue of Iran’s nuclear program, Tehran faces a moribund economy, rampant and pervasive state corruption, a restive and disillusioned population, intensifying factional feuding, and further regional isolation.
