Neither Foreign Domination Nor Puppets Made by Foreign Hands
Talk: Dr. Abdolkarim Soroush
Translation and Editing: Nazir Bispa
Editorial Note
Abdolkarim Soroush is one of the most influential voices in contemporary Iranian intellectual life. Known as a prominent philosopher and religious thinker, he has played a major role in debates about the relationship between religion, modernity, and freedom of thought. Born in Iran in 1945, Soroush studied pharmacy in Tehran and later pursued philosophy of knowledge and philosophy of science in the United Kingdom. His works on the reinterpretation of religious thought, intellectual freedom, and the relationship between faith and modernity have earned him wide recognition.
During the early years of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Soroush was among the intellectuals who supported the revolutionary movement. After the revolution, he served on the Council for the Cultural Revolution, which was tasked with restructuring Iran’s cultural and educational institutions. In later years, however, he became an outspoken critic of state-imposed religiosity and government policies, eventually emerging as a prominent advocate of reformist and liberal religious thought.
In recent years, Soroush has continued his intellectual engagement through online discussion sessions, attended by scholars and interested audiences from Iran and across the world. His talk delivered on January 11, 2026, reflects on the current political situation in Iran, particularly the violent protests that erupted in January and the thousands of lives reportedly lost during the unrest. The discussion captures the sentiments and reflections of Iran’s intellectual and reform-minded circles during a moment of deep national crisis.
For this reason, the translation of this talk—courtesy of Nazir Bispa—is presented here so that readers may gain insight into the situation in Iran through the perspective of a respected and influential thinker.
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. There is no power nor strength except through God, the Most High, the Great.
I greet all dear friends here—those present and those absent. Tonight, those absent are more numerous than those present. The reason, of course, lies in the turbulent and troubled circumstances unfolding in our beloved homeland, circumstances that have prevented many of our companions from joining us.
At such a moment we remember God. In the words of Saadi:
As long as the land of Persia remains under God’s grace and protective shadow, it need not fear calamity.
O Lord, protect this land of Persia from the violent winds of discord, and as long as this soil endures, preserve it.
God willing, our homeland—which today stands in the midst of terrifying events—this ship of the nation, which is now shaking amid the stormy waves of calamities, will survive. As Rumi once said:
“This ship, which is sometimes pulled toward fortune and sometimes toward misfortune, will either pass through these whirlpools or be shattered.”
We hope that this ship will not break, but rather pass safely through the whirlpools and reach the shore of salvation. Above all, we hope that our country does not escape one tyranny only to fall into another, or emerge from one reactionary order only to sink into another darkness.
Protest, Tyranny, and the Danger of Foreign Manipulation
Those among our people who have taken to the streets out of frustration are justified in their protest. Their voices must be heard with justice, honesty, and sincerity. Yet we must also be careful that they do not fall into the trap of false promises offered by foreign powers or their manufactured puppets—those who claim they will bring freedom, democracy, and human rights.
They do not come for such purposes. They come for plunder and domination. They come to turn our society into another Libya or Syria, devastated in the pursuit of their own interests. They come to enslave our people and seize our resources.
We have seen this before. Their hostility toward us is now an established fact.
Sadly, today we find ourselves surrounded by two enemies:
- one internal—the tyranny within our own system,
- and one external—the forces that seek to uproot our nation, divide our homeland, and plunder its resources.
A Nation in Crisis
The Islamic Republic sowed the wind and now reaps the storm. There is hardly a social group today that is satisfied with this government. Intellectuals, merchants, teachers, academics, traders, and ordinary citizens alike have all suffered wounds inflicted by this oppressive system.
The violence and bloodshed now unfolding in the country have deepened these wounds. People have been pushed to the streets, raising their voices in protest. Unfortunately, within these crowds there are also disruptive elements who act on behalf of external masters, contaminating legitimate protests with their own destructive agendas.
Our country is thus facing a profound and dangerous crisis.
Neither Tyranny Nor Foreign Puppets
When we condemn the crimes committed in Iran and reject the tyranny that has brought our society to this point, we must also ensure that we do not escape one evil only to fall into an even greater one.
In the words of Hafez:
Lovers of the path of devotion endure suffering and drink the blood of their hearts;
Shame on me if I take my complaint to strangers.
Foreign powers have never wished us well and never will. We must not turn toward a direction that will bring nothing but destruction.
For our part, we have always spoken openly against the injustices and authoritarianism of this government. We have never concealed our criticism, and we have paid a heavy price for it.
Yet our position remains clear:
We will stand neither with foreign-made puppets, nor with the Mujahideen-e Khalq, nor with royalist reaction. These forces may oppose the Iranian government, but they remain creations of external powers and instruments of exploitation.
The Need for an Internal Alternative
The only viable path forward is for a genuine alternative to emerge from within Iran itself. Only such an internal force can render these artificial and externally manufactured alternatives meaningless.
There are still wise, honest, and capable individuals within this country—people who possess the integrity and judgment necessary to guide this nation through the storms it faces.
It is neither necessary nor desirable that we become dependent on individuals chosen by foreign masters.
God forbid that such a fate should ever befall us.
Closing Prayer
Let me conclude with a verse from Saadi:
Even if the auspicious bird of fortune disappears from the world,
No one seeks shelter under the shadow of an owl.
Let us all pray sincerely that God protects our country from these terrifying storms and leads it toward peace and stability.
May God protect our homeland from falsehood, enemies, and famine.
Peace and God’s mercy be upon you.
About the Translator
Nazir Bispa is an Assistant Professor at the University of Karachi and a graduate of Tehran University, Iran. He originally published this translation on his Facebook page, which can be accessed here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1R5rvdKe8s
About the Author
