Despite all the pressures and hardships, in spite of all the injustice and pain, and in the face of the pure feeling of anger that spills out of our bodies once in a while, I still believe that the disintegration of the Islamic Republic will not be beneficial to us. Reforming the system still is the least costly route for our nation and people.

I can argue for this for hours.

It might be pointless to argue whether the current political system in Iran is capable of being reformed, because any kind of argument for or against this point is predicated on presuppositions that cannot be tested beforehand.

Naturally, when leaders and decision-makers in a system recognize the need for reforms and set their agenda accordingly, reforms are implemented, even if thousands of arguments had been put forward previously proving the uselessness of reforms.

What I mean by reforms is not changing names and individuals in charge. Who is at the helms of a political system is not important, and as is not what name that political system chooses for itself.

What is important is that a government carries out its duties as expected, keeps a nation secure from international disputes, and respects the rights of its citizenry at a basic level of a government such as that in Bangladesh does, for instance.

Essentially, this is what I expect from reforms. Anyone who wants something more than that should try to achieve it!

Even within some of the regime’s most notorious institutions one can find many well-intentioned people. Sometimes however, it is impossible to recognize them under the shadow of violent and ruthless individuals who have come to the fore and run the show these days.

My question is: why has our political system given its control to this group of radical and violent people, and wants to be known through them?

What is being done these days to student activists, journalists and other critical individuals and intellectuals, despite the view that the minority radical faction holds, is not a testament to the regime’s power, but rather exposes the regime’s lack of confidence.

Essentially, what people conclude from this oppression is that the regime is afraid of its own citizenry. This conclusion emboldens the foreigners as it exposes the regime’s weakness.

If I were in favor of the regime’s disintegration, I would have been glad to see this. But I know that the regime’s disintegration will only add to our litany of problems.

What is happening today around Iran and in the Middle East has taken sleep out of my eyes. I see with my own eyes that a very powerful coalition is forming against Iran, threatening to send the exile the country into the trash bins of history.

Up until now, I thought that foreign threats, though they might harm those in power, would not seriously affect the country. But now I am extremely afraid that the expected storm will get out of control and destroy the territorial integrity of this nation.

I want to say to government officials: if you want us to beg you, we will beg you; if you want us to compliment you, we will compliment you; if you want us not to breathe, we agree to head to prison voluntarily; if you love to rule, we accept you as rulers for life – But for the love of God, do not take this country to a point of no return!