Yesterday, the Biden administration gave the go ahead for more money to go to the Islamic regime. Another $10 billion is now making its way to find a regime that has been found to commit Crimes Against Humanity.
This has compelled me to think about my role in advocacy towards my government.
As someone who doesn’t live in Iran, I feel I have an important role to play in advocacy to facilitate better policies when it comes to Iran. One of the difficulties is that many people are operating in a silo. While there are groups that are actively lobbying governments, not all are advocating for the right things, and in fact, are preventing stronger measures being taken against the regime.
To help in bringing together common and key messages that I feel will resonate, I put forward the following.
Advocate
Living in a democracy means that politicians want our votes, together we are an influential force. 2024 is shaping up to be an important one when it come to elections, with key elections taking place in many countries including the US, UK, Germany, India and EU parliament.
Use our democratic rights (e.g. letter writing, calling, social media, rallies), we can demand our governments take tangible action and list the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist organisation. The reasons for this are captured very well HERE, and include plotting and carrying out terrorist activities the world, funding, arming and training proscribed terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hezbolla and the Houthis; and actively radicalising people overseas as we’ve seen in recent protests and rallies held around the world since the October 7 attack on Israel.
In advocacy, I haven’t seen clear messages about what to say, hence my suggestions are to focus on the following:
- National security: You will know of your own country what has been done. Keep it factual and focus it on internal safety and security. Share your own personal stories (eg surveillance at rallies etc) and your genuine fears for your safety.
- National values: Spreading hate and ideology within your country. Whether it’s through mosques or Islamic centres, there is precedent for this and likely evidence for you to collate and provide. This includes anti-Semitic activities and propaganda.
- National interests: The IRGC role in spreading terror directly and through proxies. There’s been a lot of research on this. Provide this as proof and why it’s impacting the national interest of your country. Include their role in Ukraine and how this impacts the interests of these Western countries. My main advice here is to keep it local as much as possible.
The IRGC listing in my view is different to pressing for sanctions and other repercussions resulting from human rights abuses.
If these governments were solely driven by human rights, they wouldn’t be continuing to engage with the Islamic regime and others like them from around the world. Therefore human rights, while a driver is not the sole reason for them to proscribe IRGC as terrorists.
That’s not to say it isn’t important. I will post shortly on the recent UN report on the Islamic regime being found to have committed Crimes Against Humanity in its repression of Iranians after the murder of Mahsa Amini.
If you have any stories to share of your advocacy and what you have found effective, please share.
Women, Life, Freedom 