The author compares the Soviet Union with Iran after reading On the Edge of Empire: From Brezhnev to Putin by journalist Salam Musafir. He argues the two authoritarian systems, one secular and one religious, share weaknesses: a gap between official rhetoric and everyday life, economic stagnation, and costs from foreign ambitions. He says Iranians, especially younger generations, are demanding fair incomes, jobs and personal freedoms, and that grievances such as those illustrated by the 2022 case of Mahsa Amini cannot all be dismissed as the work of foreign agents. While he does not treat every opposition claim as unquestionable, he says their recurring economic complaints deserve examination. He notes that history does not simply repeat itself, but political systems can differ in ideology while sharing the same sources of weakness.
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