A King Ahead of His Time
Before the internet existed, and even before we imagined that online education would someday reach a global and widespread level of accessibility, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the unparalleled Shah of Iran’s history, had a plan to harness the best teachers in the country. He wanted to bring the finest teachers of physics, chemistry, history, and other sciences to serve the nation, filming their lessons and broadcasting them across the country so that eventually, all citizens could benefit from high-level education. At the time, such an idea seemed like a fantasy to many. But the Shah of Iran, a man whose vision was ahead of his time, proposed these ideas. Even if the world of that era was not ready for such initiatives, he was able to take a significant step toward creating educational justice in the country. And it is crucial to understand that when someone becomes an avant-garde figure on such a large scale, the likelihood of failure and vulnerability increases exponentially.
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was not only a pioneer in education but also in many other fields, from politics to the economy, where he constantly took initiatives that were not understood in his time. He dreamed of a modern, advanced Iran but was suddenly confronted with a revolution and fundamental changes that left Iran, and the entire region, in a state of uncertainty.
My Youth and a Simple Question
I was born in 1991, and my adolescence was marked by unique circumstances. One of the daily challenges for my family and me was that every day at 2 pm, we had to turn on the television at my father’s command and watch the news. This was not interesting to me, and I would often ask myself: why should a person from New York send us a report? Why, when the Americans have so many media outlets, should a reporter from Iran be on their networks? These questions lingered in my mind, and it took years for me to understand why our world was not as we had imagined. These questions never had complete answers, but I instinctively understood that in politics, one must act very wisely and ensure no one takes advantage of your space.
Today, I understand that freedom of speech is only valid when placed in its proper context. When there are no restrictions on the dissemination of truth, it can become a tool for exploitation. For years, America has been involved in the idea of being the “champion of free speech,” but a freedom that is unbalanced in the world can ultimately lead to chaos and dangerous surprises.
Freedom of Speech: Virtue or Tool for Influence?
As a country that has long claimed to champion freedom of speech, the United States has faced a challenge in recent decades: how to turn freedom of speech into a tool for advancing its own interests. The short answer is that it is not easy to do so, because in the real world, asymmetric freedom creates great opportunities for influence over other societies. One of the areas where this influence is most visible is in the realm of freedom of speech, which is used to cover political projects.
Over the years, Western politicians, especially in the United States, have acted naively in this regard. While they believed freedom of speech should serve democracy, in practice, this tool became a platform for the spread of ideologies opposed to democracy and true freedom. Just as certain groups used these freedoms to further their own goals, even to the point where they could target freedom itself once in power.
Ideological Influence and Political Islam in Developed Countries
Political Islam, especially in developed countries, entered almost unconsciously. Migrants from Muslim countries, instead of assimilating into Western culture, gradually maintained and even strengthened their identities. Using the platform of “freedom of speech,” these migrants expanded their influence and, over time, reached a point where some of these Western societies not only had no awareness of this influence but, indirectly, helped reinforce it.
Today, in developed countries, Islamophobia remains a hot topic, and some Muslim groups use these labels to present themselves as victims. However, this is only one side of the coin. When peaceful protests for Palestinian freedom are held in the West, the same groups remain silent when over 50,000 people are killed in just two days in Iran. Why? Because the primary goal is not Palestinian freedom but rather the reinforcement of a specific ideology that ultimately threatens global and human values.
Iran: A Chance or a Trap?
In this context, Iran can be seen as an example of courage and resistance against political and ideological pressures. Over the 47 years of Islamic Republic rule, Iran has paid a heavy price. But this situation has taught the world a valuable lesson about when to stand and fight. Iran today is at a point where decisions cannot be made with limited maps or baseless theories.
If Western policymakers do not reflect on their past mistakes and fail to learn from them, they will see that their policies have not only been detrimental to their own countries but also to themselves. Iran, which in the past could have formed a strategic alliance with the West, is now on an entirely different path.
Conclusion: A Game No One Thought About
These events will have consequences not only for Iran but also for the developed countries. The geopolitical changes and the new way of thinking emerging from this context will try to create new outlooks.
In the end, what is clear from this article is not only the mistakes in policy-making but also a serious reconsideration of the future we have now arrived at. Today, Iran is striving to move towards independence and sustainable development. And this is the path the world must learn from.