An imprisoned Iranian dissident has delivered a warning to Iran’s Supreme Leader through an open letter, predicting that Ali Khamenei will face the same fate as the assassinated leaders of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah.
Writer, educator, and civil activist Abbas Vahedian Shahroodi is serving a lengthy prison sentence at Vakilabad Prison in the city of Mashhad, for his outspoken criticism of Khamenei.
“I suggest you open your eyes and clear the blood that has clouded your vision, so you can see the reality of Iranian society, which is being crushed under poverty, inflation, corruption, unemployment, prostitution, and addiction," Shahroodi’s letter said.
He further warned, “There is no need to look back at history; just look at the fate of your close friends like Ismail Haniyeh, Hassan Nasrallah, and Yahya Sinwar.”
In his letter, Shahroodi revisits his prominent 2019 open statement, in which he and 13 fellow political activists peacefully called on Khamenei to step down after two decades in power, emphasizing the pressing need for more competent governance in Iran, and a transition from the Islamic Republic to a secular and democratic government.
The initial letter, part of a larger movement, led to the imprisonment of many signatories, with Shahroodi stating that he and others have been detained on direct orders from Khamenei since its publication – while the activist has said that Khamenei has stayed silent in the face of criticism.
Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have documented Shahroodi's torture by the Ministry of Intelligence, including his prolonged solitary confinement on at least one occasion.
In his recent letter, the dissident further warns that Khamenei's leadership has not only inflicted severe internal damage on Iran but also contributed to the destabilization of the broader Middle East, where proxy groups under his influence, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, have intensified regional unrest.
Shahroodi criticizes Khamenei by referencing pivotal moments in Iran's modern history, from the Islamic Republic's founding after the 1979 Revolution to its ongoing suppression of dissent. He highlights key events, including the state-led mass executions of the 1980s, the prolonged Iran-Iraq war, and the authorities severe crackdowns on protests – such as the post-election unrest in 2009 and the nationwide demonstrations in 2017 and 2019.
"The Islamic Republic," he writes, "dragged the country into a long war with Iraq—a war that could have ended within the first few months but was extended to eight years at Khomeini’s will, imposing severe human and financial losses on Iranians."
Throughout his letter, Shahroodi accuses Khamenei of neglecting the deep-rooted issues plaguing Iranian society under his rule. He implores Khamenei to open his eyes to the suffering of the Iranian people and urges him to resign before it is too late.
Shahroodi’s 2019 letter, co-signed by other dissidents, was released on the 10th anniversary of Iran’s 2009 presidential election, widely regarded as fraudulent and followed by mass protests calling for regime change. Among the signatories were prominent activists, including Hashem Khastar, Gohar Eshghi (mother of murdered blogger Sattar Beheshti), and Mohammad Nourizad. A few months later, 14 Iranian women activists issued a similar letter, condemning theocratic rule for promoting gender apartheid and erasing women’s rights.
Several signatories of both letters have since been imprisoned or faced repression for their demands.
The appointment on Sunday of Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian was confirmed in a cabinet meeting led by Masoud Pezeshkian, a relative moderate.
Motamedian, who previously served in key positions in the ministry of intelligence, has been accused of overseeing mass arrests and authorizing the use of lethal force during the 2022 uprising in West Azerbaijan province.
The unrest was sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the so-called morality police enforcing Iran's mandatory hijab law.
“Motamedian played a critical role in suppressing protests in Urmia, Mahabad, and other cities, where dozens of protesters were killed,” according to Justice for Iran, a human rights organization.
Born in Kermanshah in 1970, Motamedian has held various positions in the Iranian government over the past two decades, including roles as governor of South Khorasan and Razavi Khorasan. In October 2021, he was the first senior Iranian official to meet with Taliban leaders in Afghanistan following their return to power.
Motamedian’s tenure as governor of West Azerbaijan saw the deaths of at least 56 protesters in the province, part of a broader crackdown by the Iranian government that resulted in more than 550 protesters being killed nationwide, according to human rights groups including the Norway-based Iran Human Rights Organization.
Motamedian’s appointment comes in the context of President Pezeshkian’s broader governance approach, which has seen other controversial figures placed in key provincial positions.
Earlier this month Pezeshkian named Hossein Ali Amiri, a former judiciary official known for persecuting Jewish and Baha’i communities as governor of Fars Province. Amiri oversaw the 1999 arrest of 13 Jewish citizens in Shiraz for espionage on behalf of Israel - a charge frequently used against religious minorities in Iran.
Pezeshkian has faced criticism over his cabinet picks, particularly for naming as interior minister Eskandar Momeni, who has an extensive military and law enforcement background and played a role in suppressing popular protests in 2017, 2019, and 2022.
“Any acts of aggression towards nuclear sites are condemned under international law,” Baghaei said during his weekly news conference.
He added that Tehran had officially communicated its position to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), saying, "we have sent a letter about it to… the UN nuclear watchdog."
Israel has vowed to attack Iran in retaliation for a volley of Iranian missiles launched on October 1, leading to widespread speculation that Iran's nuclear sites could be among Israel's targets.
On October 1, Iran fired more than 180 missiles at Israel, a move described as retaliation for the killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon. It was the second Iranian attack on Israel this year. Israel responded to the first missile volley in April with an air strike on an air defense site in central Iran.
After the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Tehran had made a “big mistake tonight” and vowed that “it will pay for it.” Later, the Biden administration revealed that it told Israel not to attack Iran's nuclear sites.
Last week, Netanyahu's office said Israel would listen to key ally the United States regarding a response to Iran's missile attack but would decide its actions according to its own national interest.
His statement was attached to a Washington Post article which said Netanyahu had told President Joe Biden's administration that Israel would strike Iranian military targets, not nuclear or oil sites.
Baghaei, responding to a question about the possibility of Iran changing its official nuclear doctrine, said "weapons of mass destruction have no place in our policy". Tehran would decide on how and when to respond to any Israeli attack.
Israel, which has long accused Tehran of plans to develop nuclear weapons, regards Iran's nuclear activities as a threat. Tehran denies these accusations, insisting that its program is entirely peaceful.
Additionally, Israel’s former premier Naftali Bennett called for the country’s leaders to launch an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities as the Jewish state weighs its response to the barrage of 181 ballistic missiles.
Bennet slammed Biden who had called for a “proportionate” response, saying, "President Biden has said that Israel can retaliate against Iran, but must keep the response 'proportionate'. The president also urged Israel not to attack Iran’s nuclear program."
Moreover, prominent Israeli opposition lawmaker and former defense minister Avigdor Liberman also called on the government to use “all the tools” at its disposal to confront the threat of Iran’s nuclear program, tacitly suggesting that Israel should use a nuclear weapon against the Islamic Republic.
“In order to stop the Iranian nuclear program, which is already at weaponization stages, we must use all the tools at our disposal... It must be clear that, at this stage, it is impossible to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons via conventional means.”
Separately, Baghaei said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would travel to Bahrain and Kuwait on Monday as part of Iran's efforts to curb regional tensions.
Since early October, Araghchi visited Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, and Oman, with the primary goal of mitigating an Israeli strike.
Iran also remains defiant on the issue of three Persian Gulf islands disputed by UAE, with Baghaei reaffirming that Tehran “has no doubt about its territorial integrity and sovereignty over the three islands” in the face of claims from Persian Gulf states and the European Union, which accuse Iran of occupying the islands.
Tensions with Europe were also highlighted during Baghaei’s briefing, as he accused European governments of escalating hostilities by failing to engage constructively with Tehran.
European nations have recently imposed sanctions on Iran, citing its nuclear activities and human rights abuses.
When asked about reports of Israeli military preparations, Baghaei downplayed media speculation but stressed Iran’s readiness to defend itself.
“Our focus will be on responding to any kind of malicious act,” he stated, without specifying potential countermeasures.
Iran's rhetoric and diplomatic outreach suggest that the Islamic Republic is bracing for a critical confrontation in its longstanding conflict with Israel.