Recent observations of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s behavior reveal a deeply troubling trajectory that echoes the patterns of historical despots.
Increasing paranoia, distrust, and a sense of melancholy. The once-unwavering leader now perceives commonplace entities like windmills as adversaries, invoking images of mythical madmen.
Renowned psychologist Manes Sperber’s magnum opus, “Zur Analyse der Tyrannis”, delves deep into the psyche of tyrants. According to Sperber, every dictator crafts a myth centered around an enemy. This imagined enemy, be it a perceived internal traitor or an external threat, becomes the embodiment of deceit, disgrace, and malevolence.
Such tactics rally support, redirect public anger, and serve as a smoke screen for the dictator’s misdeeds. Over time, these leaders retreat from the public eye, succumbing to a self-imposed isolation that skews their perception of reality. Paranoia, distrust, and melancholic delusions inevitably set in.
Evidence of Khamenei’s descent into this realm of paranoia was on stark display on September 16, marking the anniversary of the 2022 uprising. The entire country bore a resemblance to a militarized fortress, with Revolutionary Guard units, Basij militia, and other forces looming ominously. The sheer magnitude of the occupying force paralyzed the nation, with minor gatherings facing the brunt of a quasi-military rule. Disturbingly, women became primary targets, with over 600 arrested in Tehran on that day alone.
Leaders of Khamenei’s mold meticulously propagate these myths, elevating themselves as beacons of virtue and justice while portraying the enemy as the root of all evils.
The subsequent days witnessed a flurry of unsettling incidents. Khamenei’s forces brutally targeted the family of martyr Javad Heydari. Accounts of women and children being assaulted, and tear gas being unleashed upon children visiting a grave, highlight the grim situation. Furthermore, families of the 2022 uprising martyrs faced threats and restrictions on commemorating their lost ones, with some being arrested.
The regime’s recent moves, particularly the massive arrests of uprising martyrs’ families, suggest Khamenei’s mounting fear of another insurrection. With the first anniversary of several martyrs approaching, the regime’s dread is palpable. This fear, seemingly, is not just of another uprising but of his own impending downfall.
The situation in Iran provides a grim reminder of how unchecked power and paranoia can intertwine, pushing leaders into a spiraling abyss of melancholy and distrust. The world watches closely, hoping for a resolution that brings peace and justice to the Iranian people.
MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTu