What Next | Daily News and Analysis Can Iranians Rise Up? He Already Tried
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Mar 5, 2026 Kian Tajbakhsh, Iranian-born political scientist who survived imprisonment and works on democratization, reflects on Iran's reform struggles. He recounts return-to-reform efforts in the 1990s, his 2007 arrest and interrogation, and how the regime pushed back. He discusses internet blackouts, fear versus anger among protesters, and why external strikes alone cannot produce democratic change.
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Return To Iran And The Tehran Spring
- Kian Tajbakhsh returned to Iran in the 1990s to work on local government and democratic reform and found a hopeful Tehran spring of activists and institutions.
- He was arrested in 2007 with colleagues, held in solitary, and confronted with his Open Society contract as proof of subversion, marking a turning point.
Nuclear Deal Freed Critics But Strengthened Regime
- The 2015 nuclear deal freed Tajbakhsh but also legitimized and empowered the regime, closing space for domestic reformers.
- He describes mixed feelings: grateful for his release yet certain the deal misread regime ideology and consolidated its power.
Family Calls During Internet Blackouts
- After recent strikes Tajbakhsh described frantic family calls during internet blackouts and his wife's sister fleeing after a bomb hit 500 meters from their home.
- He stressed the regime's kill switch on the internet and daily calls to check on relatives amid shattered windows and fear.