One of the most frequently made claims about cycles of protest and the Iranian opposition, both within and outside Iran, is that the opposition and the protesters are leaderless, therefore lacking the focus and persistence needed to bring down the regime.
An analysis of Google Trends shows that this is no longer the case. The data indicate both overwhelming recognition of Reza Pahlavi as the most important opposition figure – and that this support is embedded in a broader context of severe and long-term loss of legitimacy facing Iran’s incumbent theocratic regime.
These conclusions are based on Google searches in Farsi of four leading personalities and one ideological concept: Velayat-e faqih (“Guardianship of the Jurist” in the absence of the infallible Imam)
Continue Reading on The Jerusalem Post
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.