Kragdar
@kragdar.bsky.social
Lawyer & observer of the Middle East / West Asia. فارسی بلدم; biraz Azərbaycanca.
Pinned
I’m Iranian-American, speak fluent Persian, have spent most of my life immersed in Iran & its ongoings in both personal & professional capacities. Feels like this is going to be useful the next few weeks as every single white American on this website assumes everyone is exactly like them.
Reposted by Kragdar
We began chanting, “Bread, Work, Freedom!” The slogan was so unfamiliar that someone asked, “What are you saying? Why are you chanting ‘Death to Freedom’?” We said, “We’re saying ”Bread, Work, Freedom!’.” He conceded, “Oh, okay. I thought you said ‘Death to Freedom’”
January 17, 2026 at 8:44 PM
We began chanting, “Bread, Work, Freedom!” The slogan was so unfamiliar that someone asked, “What are you saying? Why are you chanting ‘Death to Freedom’?” We said, “We’re saying ”Bread, Work, Freedom!’.” He conceded, “Oh, okay. I thought you said ‘Death to Freedom’”
Reposted by Kragdar
“Now is not the time for these arguments; we need unity.” One said, “We’re forced to choose between bad and worse.” We said: “Why are we forced? There’s another option. We are not confined to choose between the rule of the Supreme Leader or the rule of the Shah.”
Longing for Liberation, Trapped Between Two Reactionary Forces – Feminists4Jina
A report from December–January 2025 (Dey 1404) , Tehran — days of tension, anxiety, and disbelief - The following text is a report by a comrade who has recently left Iran. It is based on their direct ...
feminists4jina.net
January 17, 2026 at 7:34 PM
“Now is not the time for these arguments; we need unity.” One said, “We’re forced to choose between bad and worse.” We said: “Why are we forced? There’s another option. We are not confined to choose between the rule of the Supreme Leader or the rule of the Shah.”
Merz thanked Israel for doing Europe’s “dirty work“ last June when they attacked Iran and killed over 1000 Iranians.
I cannot wait for these two tweets posted within an hour of each other by a European leader. First tweet condemning US military action in Greenland that kills European soldiers. Second tweet celebrating their nation's military support to US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran.
January 18, 2026 at 2:10 AM
Merz thanked Israel for doing Europe’s “dirty work“ last June when they attacked Iran and killed over 1000 Iranians.
Reposted by Kragdar
On the disinformation campaign surrounding the Iran protests including efforts to boost Reza Pahlavi, the son of the deposed Shah, as leader of the opposition when he clearly is not www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/b...
January 17, 2026 at 9:47 PM
On the disinformation campaign surrounding the Iran protests including efforts to boost Reza Pahlavi, the son of the deposed Shah, as leader of the opposition when he clearly is not www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/b...
“Pahlavi’s ineffective leadership and the consolidation of a Persian nationalist narrative – particularly after the 12-day war – have constrained democratic political discourse...Iranian civil society has been severely undermined.”
From Behrouz Boochani & Mehdi Jalali Tehrani:
From Behrouz Boochani & Mehdi Jalali Tehrani:
So much for a ‘final battle’ – once again the Iranian people’s peaceful and democratic demands have been silenced | Behrouz Boochani and Mehdi Jalali Tehrani
The protests were hijacked by Reza Pahlavi and notions of Persian supremacy, then brutally repressed by a violent regime
www.theguardian.com
January 17, 2026 at 8:35 PM
“Pahlavi’s ineffective leadership and the consolidation of a Persian nationalist narrative – particularly after the 12-day war – have constrained democratic political discourse...Iranian civil society has been severely undermined.”
From Behrouz Boochani & Mehdi Jalali Tehrani:
From Behrouz Boochani & Mehdi Jalali Tehrani:
Great observation!
(And sorry, I have to have replies off on these topics for my own protection).
(And sorry, I have to have replies off on these topics for my own protection).
Can't repost thread by @kragdar.bsky.social on recent Iran protests and supposed lack of Left engagement in US+allied countries but worth adding that the Oct 15, 2025 No Kings Protest was one of the largest in US history. Are these people supposed to support the failson of a deposed monarch in Iran?
January 17, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Great observation!
(And sorry, I have to have replies off on these topics for my own protection).
(And sorry, I have to have replies off on these topics for my own protection).
“Now is not the time for these arguments; we need unity.” One said, “We’re forced to choose between bad and worse.” We said: “Why are we forced? There’s another option. We are not confined to choose between the rule of the Supreme Leader or the rule of the Shah.”
Longing for Liberation, Trapped Between Two Reactionary Forces – Feminists4Jina
A report from December–January 2025 (Dey 1404) , Tehran — days of tension, anxiety, and disbelief - The following text is a report by a comrade who has recently left Iran. It is based on their direct ...
feminists4jina.net
January 17, 2026 at 7:34 PM
“Now is not the time for these arguments; we need unity.” One said, “We’re forced to choose between bad and worse.” We said: “Why are we forced? There’s another option. We are not confined to choose between the rule of the Supreme Leader or the rule of the Shah.”
#4: overthrow of Mossadegh seems true.
Historians rate the 2003 invasion of Iraq as the worst foreign policy decision in US history.
www.cfr.org/blog/convers...
www.cfr.org/blog/convers...
A Conversation About the Best and Worst U.S. Foreign Policy Decisions
When you create best and worst lists, prepare for disagreement and debate.
www.cfr.org
January 17, 2026 at 7:10 PM
#4: overthrow of Mossadegh seems true.
As a relative frequently says, they created a European UNION and a UNITED States for themselves, but individual statelets and factions are ok for everyone else….
I wish this was a more common mindset.
The idea of an individual state for each ethnicity, religion, or conceived nationality is so ridiculous & leaves the people worse off through having to compete for resources and power with neighbors.
Many small nations would benefit from merging together
The idea of an individual state for each ethnicity, religion, or conceived nationality is so ridiculous & leaves the people worse off through having to compete for resources and power with neighbors.
Many small nations would benefit from merging together
After President Maia Sandu said she would vote “yes” on reunification with Romania, Moldova’s prime minister and several cabinet ministers publicly echoed their support.
January 17, 2026 at 6:45 PM
As a relative frequently says, they created a European UNION and a UNITED States for themselves, but individual statelets and factions are ok for everyone else….
Reposted by Kragdar
Much of Western Europe has sat by or actively cheered as the United States and Israel have violated one core intl legal principle after another thinking it would never effect them. They have made their bed….https://bsky.app/profile/nickturse.bsky.social/post/3mcn6d7pav222
Meanwhile on TruthSocial...
January 17, 2026 at 5:52 PM
Much of Western Europe has sat by or actively cheered as the United States and Israel have violated one core intl legal principle after another thinking it would never effect them. They have made their bed….https://bsky.app/profile/nickturse.bsky.social/post/3mcn6d7pav222
Reposted by Kragdar
Yeah that's the issue. Before WLF I was more than willing to see Pahlavi take some leading role, even become a ceremonial head of state. But after starting to see Monarchist Instagram I was genuinely horrified and appalled. His wife was still at it when Mohammadi got arrested last month.
January 17, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Yeah that's the issue. Before WLF I was more than willing to see Pahlavi take some leading role, even become a ceremonial head of state. But after starting to see Monarchist Instagram I was genuinely horrified and appalled. His wife was still at it when Mohammadi got arrested last month.
Put differently: if you interview people like Afary and Shams, it is a mystery why the left won’t support Iranians. But if you interviewed the people most lefties actually encounter—monarchists & their fellow travelers—it becomes less of a mystery,
I read this article so you don’t have to. The writer speaks to a few activists and university professors, including very prominent and credible scholars of Iran like Janet Afary and Shahrzad Shams.
@galbeckerman.bsky.social: ”In my conversations with these Iranian exiles, I heard deep frustration ... The Iranian protesters stepping fearlessly into the sights of government snipers are being seen by the American left with more suspicion than sympathy.”
January 17, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Put differently: if you interview people like Afary and Shams, it is a mystery why the left won’t support Iranians. But if you interviewed the people most lefties actually encounter—monarchists & their fellow travelers—it becomes less of a mystery,
Anecdotally I find it rich that Iranians who loudly supported Israeli slaughter the last 2 years while loudly and racistly blaming “Arabs“ for all their problems now have the gall to demand support from Palestinian protestors.
.خجالت هم خوب چیزیه
.خجالت هم خوب چیزیه
And of course, the final and most serious complication is the nature of the loud, monarchist faction in the Iranian diaspora.
This group has been showing up to Palestine protests waving both the lion and sun and Israeli flags. They have harassed, threatened, in some cases beaten pro-Pal protestors.
This group has been showing up to Palestine protests waving both the lion and sun and Israeli flags. They have harassed, threatened, in some cases beaten pro-Pal protestors.
January 17, 2026 at 5:08 PM
Anecdotally I find it rich that Iranians who loudly supported Israeli slaughter the last 2 years while loudly and racistly blaming “Arabs“ for all their problems now have the gall to demand support from Palestinian protestors.
.خجالت هم خوب چیزیه
.خجالت هم خوب چیزیه
Sorry my thread is of course very simplified and dumbed down. There is a left in Iran & there are prominent voices for workers, like Sepideh Gholian and Esmail Bakshi. They are of course repressed & imprisoned. I am mainly speaking here of the diaspora.
To be clear, the monarchists have a special hatred for the Iranian left specifically, a group that mostly doesn’t exist as an organized force anymore, in large part because of the Islamic Republic’s mass execution of leftist prisoners in 1988, and of the worldwide left generally.
January 17, 2026 at 4:39 PM
Sorry my thread is of course very simplified and dumbed down. There is a left in Iran & there are prominent voices for workers, like Sepideh Gholian and Esmail Bakshi. They are of course repressed & imprisoned. I am mainly speaking here of the diaspora.
I read this article so you don’t have to. The writer speaks to a few activists and university professors, including very prominent and credible scholars of Iran like Janet Afary and Shahrzad Shams.
@galbeckerman.bsky.social: ”In my conversations with these Iranian exiles, I heard deep frustration ... The Iranian protesters stepping fearlessly into the sights of government snipers are being seen by the American left with more suspicion than sympathy.”
The Silence of the Left on Iran
As the Islamic Republic massacres protesters, exiles are dismayed by the lack of sympathy from the American left.
www.theatlantic.com
January 17, 2026 at 3:53 PM
I read this article so you don’t have to. The writer speaks to a few activists and university professors, including very prominent and credible scholars of Iran like Janet Afary and Shahrzad Shams.
Reposted by Kragdar
Part of the suspicion is because the loudest Iranian exiles are right-wing monarchists who support Reza Pahlavi and Israel. It's also because Trump and Netanyahu loudly claim to support the protestors and are seemingly looking to use the opportunity for another bombing campaign.
@galbeckerman.bsky.social: ”In my conversations with these Iranian exiles, I heard deep frustration ... The Iranian protesters stepping fearlessly into the sights of government snipers are being seen by the American left with more suspicion than sympathy.”
The Silence of the Left on Iran
As the Islamic Republic massacres protesters, exiles are dismayed by the lack of sympathy from the American left.
www.theatlantic.com
January 17, 2026 at 3:16 PM
Part of the suspicion is because the loudest Iranian exiles are right-wing monarchists who support Reza Pahlavi and Israel. It's also because Trump and Netanyahu loudly claim to support the protestors and are seemingly looking to use the opportunity for another bombing campaign.
Reposted by Kragdar
Iran's borders are actually the oldest in the middle east by a substantial margin. Iran's border with Turkey is perhaps the oldest still-in-use border demarcation in the world.
Speaking of artificial borders, has Israel officially announced what its borders actually are? No? Hmm.
Speaking of artificial borders, has Israel officially announced what its borders actually are? No? Hmm.
Opinion | A Fractured Iran Might Not Be So Bad
Its borders are artificial, and a breakup would frustrate the interests of Russia, China and others.
www.wsj.com
January 16, 2026 at 8:57 PM
Iran's borders are actually the oldest in the middle east by a substantial margin. Iran's border with Turkey is perhaps the oldest still-in-use border demarcation in the world.
Speaking of artificial borders, has Israel officially announced what its borders actually are? No? Hmm.
Speaking of artificial borders, has Israel officially announced what its borders actually are? No? Hmm.
Pirouz was an Asiatic cheetah cub. The Asiatic cheetah is near extinction and his death was one of the worst days of my life—not exaggerating.
If you didn't cry when Pirouz died you should stay quiet on Iran tbh
So cool that I'm seeing liberal (chicken)hawks saying Trump not bombing Iran today is him TACOing.
I need Americans to experience what it feels like to be defenseless beneath relentless airstrikes at least once before they advocate doing it to others.
I need Americans to experience what it feels like to be defenseless beneath relentless airstrikes at least once before they advocate doing it to others.
January 16, 2026 at 5:00 AM
Pirouz was an Asiatic cheetah cub. The Asiatic cheetah is near extinction and his death was one of the worst days of my life—not exaggerating.
“To be an Iranian in this moment is to vacillate between them — torn between a longing for an end to tyranny and a deep-seated fear of what such a deliverance might cost. Any possible resolution constitutes a profound violation of the self, a kind of identity death.”
From last June. Still relevant.
From last June. Still relevant.
Opinion | The Moral Paralysis Facing Iranians Right Now
www.nytimes.com
January 15, 2026 at 8:04 PM
“To be an Iranian in this moment is to vacillate between them — torn between a longing for an end to tyranny and a deep-seated fear of what such a deliverance might cost. Any possible resolution constitutes a profound violation of the self, a kind of identity death.”
From last June. Still relevant.
From last June. Still relevant.
Reposted by Kragdar
Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi comments on protests gripping his home country and says that while he is certain "this regime will fall," he worries it will unleash further cycles of violence.
Panahi's latest film is "It Was Just An Accident."
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/1/15/jafar_panahi
Panahi's latest film is "It Was Just An Accident."
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/1/15/jafar_panahi
January 15, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi comments on protests gripping his home country and says that while he is certain "this regime will fall," he worries it will unleash further cycles of violence.
Panahi's latest film is "It Was Just An Accident."
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/1/15/jafar_panahi
Panahi's latest film is "It Was Just An Accident."
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/1/15/jafar_panahi
Reposted by Kragdar
Given the stakes, I believe it's fair to ask anyone advocating for U.S. involvement on behalf of #IranProtesters to be explicit about their demands. What kind of support? Are you calling for diplomatic pressure, material aid, military strikes, more sanctions, or something else entirely? #Iran
January 14, 2026 at 8:45 PM
Given the stakes, I believe it's fair to ask anyone advocating for U.S. involvement on behalf of #IranProtesters to be explicit about their demands. What kind of support? Are you calling for diplomatic pressure, material aid, military strikes, more sanctions, or something else entirely? #Iran
Reza‘s spent his life in the U.S., so aping U.S. politicians by focusing on Israel ahead of his own country’s problems makes sense.
What about a plan to immediately bring water to parched Tehran, Urmia & Isfahan & manage it properly?
Ensure the poor can eat?
Respect for human rights?
What about a plan to immediately bring water to parched Tehran, Urmia & Isfahan & manage it properly?
Ensure the poor can eat?
Respect for human rights?
January 15, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Reza‘s spent his life in the U.S., so aping U.S. politicians by focusing on Israel ahead of his own country’s problems makes sense.
What about a plan to immediately bring water to parched Tehran, Urmia & Isfahan & manage it properly?
Ensure the poor can eat?
Respect for human rights?
What about a plan to immediately bring water to parched Tehran, Urmia & Isfahan & manage it properly?
Ensure the poor can eat?
Respect for human rights?
Reposted by Kragdar
First of two posts - this one for those members of my pro-Palestine family who continuously frames events in Iran in terms of Israel’s machinations. The situation in Iran is far more complicated. Focusing only on Israel misses that complexity and is frankly insulting and unfair
January 15, 2026 at 3:49 PM
First of two posts - this one for those members of my pro-Palestine family who continuously frames events in Iran in terms of Israel’s machinations. The situation in Iran is far more complicated. Focusing only on Israel misses that complexity and is frankly insulting and unfair
Reposted by Kragdar
There is a lot of American and IRI propaganda out right now, including from people who should know better. Here's some info on internal dynamics that I found helpful.
Via @jricole.bsky.social, excellent deep dive on Iran. Note to youngs here: Protests are not just about hijab... www.juancole.com/2026/01/inev...
The Inevitable Transition in Iran
Guest Editor Fariba Amini writes: I was going to write an article on the recent events in Iran, but in all honesty, my pen did not allow me. With the internet shut down in Iran, we have yet few images...
www.juancole.com
January 14, 2026 at 4:12 PM
There is a lot of American and IRI propaganda out right now, including from people who should know better. Here's some info on internal dynamics that I found helpful.