The Briefing Albo targets secret lobby perk + What Iranians want you to know
Mar 2, 2026
Shadi Roushabaz, a peace and conflict researcher raised in Iran and now based in Australia, offers expert analysis on Iranian politics and public reactions. She unpacks why some Iranians celebrated while others mourned Khamenei's death. She discusses communication challenges inside Iran and cautions against simplistic calls to 'rise up'.
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Celebration As Relief From Longstanding Repression
- Iranians celebrate Khamenei's death as relief from decades of repression rather than joy for violence.
- Shadi Roushabaz explains celebrations reflect release from a “cage” of arrests, executions and internet blackouts spanning 40+ years.
Street Joy As Testimony To Ignored Warnings
- Celebrations are also a 'told you so' to the international community about ignored warnings.
- Shadi frames street joy as testimony that leaders ignored activists' recommendations and citizens' suffering for years.
Joy And Fear Coexist Because War Causes Collateral Harm
- Mixed joy and fear coexist because retaliatory strikes risk civilian harm beyond Iran's borders.
- Shadi warns that bombs 'do not have a GPS' and well-meaning strikes produce collateral damage and ongoing anxiety.