Former Iranian leaders publicly break with regime over protest crackdown

Tuesday 03 February 2026 - 12:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Former Iranian leaders publicly break with regime over protest crackdown

Deep fissures have emerged within Iran's leadership as ex-President Hassan Rohani and other prominent reformists openly condemned the regime's handling of nationwide protests that killed thousands, warning that substantial reforms are essential to avert further unrest.

"The people have expectations, and we must address them with substantial reforms, not superficial changes," Rohani stated, according to The Telegraph. He cautioned that "if we implement only minor adjustments, we could face problems again in a few months, or even in just ten days."

These public rebukes signal a fracture in the regime's once-united front. Mir Hossein Moussavi, former prime minister under house arrest since 2011, issued perhaps the harshest critique. "In what language must the people say they don't want this system and don't believe your lies? Enough is enough. The game is over," he declared in a statement on the Kalame website.

Protests erupted on December 28, 2025, over economic woes like the Iranian rial's collapse, evolving into broader calls for regime change before brutal suppression. Rights groups documented at least 6,000 deaths, with some estimating a final toll exceeding 25,000.

Moussavi branded the crackdown a "black page" in national history, urging security forces to "lay down your arms and step aside so the nation itself can lead this country to freedom and prosperity." Mehdi Karroubi, a reformist cleric and former parliament speaker freed from house arrest last year, called the "critical situation" a direct result of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's harmful domestic and foreign policies. Citing thousands of protester deaths, he deemed it an "unforgivable and horrific massacre" beyond justification.

The Reformist Front, a coalition of reform parties, held an emergency meeting on January 11, agreeing to draft a public statement urging Khamenei to relinquish power, per Euractiv.

Regime hardliners reacted furiously. Lawmaker Nasrollah Pejmanfar declared it time for "significant reform," meaning "arresting and executing Rouhani."

These internal tensions coincide with the European Union designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization last week for its protest suppression role. Iranian lawmakers retaliated Sunday by labeling all EU military forces terrorist groups, donning IRGC uniforms while chanting "Death to America" and "Death to Israel."

Amid the turmoil, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are set to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Istanbul on Friday for talks to ease tensions. Representatives from Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt are expected to join discussions covering Iran's nuclear program.