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Source: http://jcpa.org/the-princes-of-iran-speak-out-as-regime-fears-collapse/
The "Princes" of Iran Speak Out as Regime Fears Collapse
(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Iran Desk - Hassan Khomeini, grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the architect of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, has warned that the political system used in Iran is about to collapse. Khomeini's words join other statements heard among the religious establishment, according to which there has been considerable erosion of legitimacy of the Islamic regime as it approaches its fortieth year. Hassan Khomeini stated that there is no guarantee that the Islamic regime will continue to exist if it does not take into account several basic problems that require urgent attention. Khomeini specifically pointed to the issues of tolerance, meritocracy, easing repression, and hypocrisy as matters that the regime must take care of and repair its ways before it is too late. He added, "Anyone who does not adhere to human rights has no guarantee that he can remain in government, and in the end he will lose the confidence of the people." Some of Iran's newspapers published his statements under prominent headlines such as, "No Guarantee that We Will Remain." Several days earlier, Faezeh Hashemi, a former member of parliament and daughter of former President Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, told Mostaghel that the ideology of the Islamic Republic has totally collapsed. Even though the regime is still strong, the only reason it remains in power is the lack of a suitable alternative that could gain the support of the nation. "Wherever we look, there is a definite lack of efficiency and a lack of leadership and logic. Everything is neglected, and no attempt has been made to find a solution to the problems. Worst of all - the situation is only getting worse and there is no sign of any improvement." The severity of the criticism of the regime and the Islamic system of government is unusual, and it is increasing as the economic crisis in Iran deepens. The criticism from the grandson of Ayatollah Khomeini and the daughter of Rafsanjani indicates that some of the impediments that existed in the past to anything related to criticism of the Islamic system of government have been removed.