ESSAYS

The fact that every collective protest action ends in bloodshed is a clear and undeniable sign of a structural crisis and a chronic lack of competence in crisis management. Reports have emerged of violent intervention by Israeli agents and groups with a history of crime and terror in the recent protests. However, this in no way diminishes the responsibility of the country’s senior governmental, intelligence, and security officials. The people have the undeniable right to protest, and the rulers are obliged to ensure the security of the nation’s protests. Just as the suppression of protesters is entirely condemned, any foreign intervention in our beloved country, Iran, is also wholly and unconditionally condemned.

Collective Signature

The heartbreaking and bloody violence that has occurred in recent days in our beloved homeland, Iran, pains the heart of every conscious and free human being. Now, regardless of any political inclination, solely in defense of humanity, the preservation of Iranian identity, national-religious values, and the integrity of the homeland, we sincerely and benevolently remind the current rulers of Iran of eight points:

1. The blood of every single human being is sacred. Human life is the arena for the realization of God’s will and a sanctuary of divine security. Preserving human life and dignity is a red line, crossing which brings the wrath and punishment of the Almighty. Various reports indicate a high number of martyrs and victims in the recent protests, but even the killing of one person, according to the Holy Book (Ma’ida: 32), is as if all of humanity has been killed. The current rulers of Iran are obliged by reason, law, and religion to manage social crises in a way that avoids bloodshed and harm to people. The fact that every collective protest action ends in bloodshed is a clear and undeniable sign of a structural crisis and a chronic lack of competence in crisis management.
2. Reports have emerged of violent intervention by Israeli agents and groups with a history of crime and terror in the recent protests. The notorious record of Israeli terrorism is consistent with such reports, and statements by Netanyahu and some former Israeli and American officials, as well as reports from the Rajavi group’s media, confirm the narrative of violent foreign intervention aimed at undermining security, spreading fear, committing crimes, and inciting unrest. The full extent and scope of these interventions are not yet entirely clear. Nevertheless, this in no way diminishes the responsibility of the country’s senior governmental, intelligence, and security officials; rather, it doubles it. The people have the undeniable right to protest, and the rulers are obliged to ensure the security of the nation’s protests. If they are unable to provide security, they must be held accountable. The constant surprise of the country’s security and intelligence forces—from the twelve-day war to the recent protests—and their inability to establish security shows that, under the pretext of providing security, the nation’s freedom has been taken away, but not only has security not been achieved, the deprivation of people’s freedom has itself become the most significant anti-security factor in the country.
3. Engaging in irrelevant and even harmful activities unrelated to the core mission of intelligence and security forces (such as pursuing tolerant critics and interfering in the public and private lifestyles of people), and entrusting affairs to sycophantic supporters while sidelining honest experts in the name of consolidating power, has brought such a grave calamity upon national security and the daily lives of the people. On the other hand, the use of thugs and hooligans to disrupt peaceful protests, incite violence, and pave the way for the suppression of any protest, unfortunately, is also part of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s record. The authorities must immediately, through an impartial fact-finding committee, officially announce the exact number of those killed, the time, place, and manner of the deaths of each martyr and victim of the recent protests. Only in this way can a small part of the survivors’ grief be alleviated and a step taken toward restoring the completely lost public trust.
4. It appears that, following the recent protests, widespread arrests have taken place. We warn the judiciary not to, under the influence of political propaganda and to intimidate others, punish any innocent person during these trials.
5. Just as the suppression of protesters is entirely condemned, any foreign intervention in our beloved country, Iran, is also wholly and unconditionally condemned. Israel, which is recognized by the global human rights community as a perpetrator of genocide and an apartheid regime, can never be a well-wisher for the Iranian people or any other nation. The domineering and colonialist United States will never pursue the higher interests of the Iranian people but only its own obvious hegemonic ambitions. Iran’s fate will be determined by Iranians alone. If domestic despotism is wholly condemned, so is foreign domination. We warn global powers not to further complicate Iran’s situation with their unwarranted interventions. Those who, in their misguided belief, turn to the vile hands of hegemonic foreign powers to solve Iran’s problems are, if not traitorous collaborators, then naïve and simple-minded.
6. Anyone who denies this situation is either in a deep sleep or pretending to be asleep, but sleepwalkers must be warned, as Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said: “He who sleeps is not slept over” (meaning: if you close your eyes, others will not close theirs to you).

Peace be upon you,

Sunday, January 18, 2026 / 28 Dey 1404 (Iranian calendar)

• Masoud Adib
• Abdolali Bazargan
• Reza Haji
• Hamid Dabashi
• Alireza Rajaei
• Abdolkarim Soroush
• Omid Safi
• Hassan Fereshtian
• Hossein Kaji
• Mohsen Kadivar
• Hossein Kamali
• Yaser Mirdamadi
• Dariush Mohammadi-Pour
• Hassan Yousefi Eshkevari

Abdolkarim Soroush and his thirteen apostates were once dedicated members of the Islamic Republic, serving in various capacities such as intelligence, administration, or as part of the repressive IRGC. They were involved in abusive behaviors and, even if not directly, supported the IRGC’s acts of killing and torturing university students. Each, in one way or another, contributed to the core structure that established Islamic or Sharia laws.

Modeling their approach after Chinese cultural and educational laws but adapting them for Sharia, they wrote, theorized, and implemented the Islamic cultural and religious revolution. They shut down universities and rewrote the curriculum based on Islamic mandates.

Like many revolutions, and the Islamic Republic is no exception, “the revolution kills its children.” When these so-called elites lost their usefulness to the regime, they were persecuted, imprisoned, and eventually forced to escape to Europe and America—despite once shouting “death to America, the great Satan.” Now, in the free world, suddenly “their elephant remembered India.”

All fourteen signatories of the January 2026 open letter are Muslims, primarily from Shia backgrounds, and identify themselves as religious intellectuals or reformist thinkers within the broader Islamic tradition. The letter is explicitly presented as a statement from “نواندیش دینی” (self-designated religious new thinkers), although these individuals lack formal international recognition or endorsement. The following is an expanded overview of the signatories, based on publicly available information; it is important to note that most of these characteristics are self-identified and self-designated, with no formal or modern academic education recognized by international organizations such as UNESCO or similar bodies.

Among the signatories, Abdolkarim Soroush stands out for having completed an undergraduate degree in Pharmacy in Iran. He later pursued a master’s degree in analytical chemistry at the University of London, England. Subsequently, he studied the history and philosophy of science at Chelsea College, though he did not obtain a degree in these latter disciplines. Soroush refers to himself as “doctor” based on his pharmacy degree from Iran, awarded in 1969. His total period of study in England lasted five and a half years. All other academic or professional credentials claimed by the signatories are self-reported and have not been independently verified or recognized by internationally accredited institutions.

Many of the 14 signers were imprisoned, accused of “acting against national security,” while a few managed to escape after initial interactions with the Islamic Republic, eventually seeking refuge in Europe, Canada, or the United States. Their statement, while acknowledging reports of Israeli interference in the protests, primarily places blame on the Iranian regime’s mismanagement. However, it is deeply troubling that their language echoes official government propaganda, potentially providing justification for the regime’s violent crackdown on dissent.

It is apparent that these 14 individuals, once seen as reformers, now serve as a propaganda arm for the Velayat-e-Faqih, amplifying the regime’s false narrative to legitimize its brutality. This approach mirrors the tactics used by authoritarian regimes in history, such as Hitler’s propaganda machine in pre-war Europe, which sought to suppress opposition and maintain power through misinformation and fear. The repetition of such narratives not only undermines the legitimacy of genuine protest but also enables further repression and violence against the Iranian people.

• Masoud Adib: A Shia scholar and cleric with formal seminary education in Qom, Adib specializes in Islamic philosophy and theology, contributing to contemporary debates on religious thought.
• Abdolali Bazargan: An influential Muslim intellectual from a distinguished religious-political lineage (son of Mehdi Bazargan, Iran’s first post-revolution prime minister). He is known for his focus on Quranic studies and advocacy for Islamic reform.
• Reza Haji: While public information is limited, Haji is associated with Iranian Muslim reformist circles. There is no evidence suggesting any non-Muslim affiliation.
• Hamid Dabashi: A prominent scholar of Islamic mysticism (Sufism) and modern Islamic thought, Dabashi was raised in a Muslim family and is noted for his work on mystical poetry and contemporary issues.
• Alireza Rajaei: A member of the Nationalist-Religious alliance, a reformist Muslim group in Iran. Rajaei has been imprisoned for his political activism, which is deeply rooted in Islamic principles.
• Abdolkarim Soroush: One of the self designated Islamic scholars and a Rumi expert, Soroush is a leading advocate for reformist interpretations of Islam and has played a significant role in shaping modern Islamic thought.
• Mohsen Kadivar: A Shia mujtahid (senior cleric) and theologian, Kadivar teaches Quranic studies, Sufism, and Islamic ethics, and is known for his progressive views on religious authority and human rights.
• Omid Safi: A professor of Islamic studies with a specialization in Sufism, Safi was raised in a Muslim family that emphasized spirituality and is recognized for his scholarship on Islamic mysticism and ethics.
• Hassan Fereshtian: A jurist and religious scholar, Fereshtian is an advocate for human rights from an Islamic perspective and has publicly criticized the persecution of religious minorities, including Baha’is.
• Hossein Kaji: A philosopher with a focus on ethics, Kaji is associated with Iranian Muslim reformist intellectual circles, though detailed information about his religious background is limited.
• Hossein Kamali: A professor of Islamic studies who holds the Imam Ali Chair in Shia studies, Kamali is recognized for his academic contributions to the understanding of Shia Islam.
• Yaser Mirdamadi: A Shia cleric with seminary training, Mirdamadi conducts research in Islamic philosophy and biomedical ethics, engaging with contemporary ethical issues from an Islamic perspective.
• Dariush Mohammadpour: A scholar specializing in Ismaili (Shia) studies, Mohammadpour focuses on Islamic intellectual history and the study of primary sources within the tradition.
• Hassan Yousefi Eshkevari: A cleric trained in the Qom seminary, Eshkevari is a well-known reformist who has a history of criticizing the Iranian regime from an Islamic standpoint and advocating for religious and political reform.

In summary, while the signatories present themselves as innovative religious thinkers and reformers, their academic and professional backgrounds are largely self-identified, with limited or no formal recognition from established international academic communities.