The history of the Islamic Republic has always been built upon a profound paradox: while absolute power is concentrated in the hands of a single individual, accountability is consistently pushed downward onto lower-ranking figures—namely, the regime’s ceremonial and powerless presidents. The recent agreement with the United States has once again exposed this familiar and increasingly absurd pattern.
The “Sacred” Tradition of Evading Responsibility
Just as it was under the father, the son now remains in the shadows, embracing what can only be described as a doctrine of “sub-zero accountability”—a calculated refusal to accept responsibility for decisions made at the highest level.
The recent statement issued without a direct appearance or clear public address from the “cardboard leader” represents the peak of this strategy of political evasion. The routine and carefully crafted language suggesting that he has merely “trusted the President’s judgment despite certain reservations” reveals far less about wisdom and prudence than it does about fear—fear of being held accountable for an agreement whose outcome remains uncertain.
Masoud Pezeshkian, a president with limited authority, serves as little more than a sacrificial piece on the political chessboard, positioned to absorb the full cost of any future failure. This method of governance has long since become embedded in the political DNA of the ruling establishment.
The Illusion of the “Misguided True Believers”
Perhaps even more astonishing is the deliberate blindness displayed by the regime’s ideological hardliners. Trapped within their own cocoon of political dogma, they remain so deeply committed to denial that they refuse to acknowledge what has become obvious to virtually everyone.
Even, as the saying goes, “a cooked chicken” understands that within the structure of the Islamic Republic, there is ultimately only one decision-maker. Without his approval, nothing of significance moves forward. Yet the regime’s most devoted supporters continue to cling to propaganda, pretending not to see reality and willingly humiliating themselves in defense of hollow performances of accountability.
Rather than confronting facts as they are, they struggle to preserve outdated beliefs whose only lasting consequence has been the perpetuation of political and social degradation.
The Fate of the Agreement and the Echo of Freedom
It must be stated plainly: this agreement is unlikely to alter the trajectory of the system. Repeating failed policies while relying on the same shadow actors cannot change the fundamental realities facing the regime. Such agreements function merely as temporary painkillers for a government whose internal foundations have already begun to erode.
The final and unavoidable truth is that the ultimate verdict on this system will not be written in secret chambers of power. It will be written in the streets of Iran by those who seek freedom and dignity.
The future of the nation no longer belongs to cardboard leaders or political scarecrows. The collective will for liberty is ultimately more powerful than any agreement negotiated behind closed doors.
Kiarash Manavi
