Unified West with a blueprint for change

THE LAST Shah of Iran was no saint and he was toppled in 1979. Few protested even though he was succeeded by another dictatorship headed by the fanatic Ayatollah Khomeini.Then his ultra-harsh theocracy turned violently anti-West and has been sowing violence and unrest throughout the region since.

But at last it looks as if the ordinary people of Iran have had enough. A street-level campaign of disobedience is spreading, undeterred by the ruthless secret police that accompanies all tyrannies.

It started with young women objecting to being forced to cover their heads at all time, and it was just a few bold rebels doing it. Now it is pan-national and more. The young are knocking the turbans off the heads of the priests as they pass. It is the priests who have ruled the roost since the revolution and they are now the lightning-rod of the pent-up anger and frustration. Once again the internet seems to be playing a large role.

Dictators can dominate all forms of in-country media but not the web. On this the young can learn of women being educated and qualified in a dozen professions hitherto banned to them. They see freedoms and privileges normal in the West but which are denied to them. Priests are being sworn at on the streets – unheard of until now.

Iran has been an international menace for 40 years with its nuclear programme and fomenting of strife.

The unified West has remained quiescent in the face of countless and unceasing provocations.

Considering what an angry West has done to Russia and its economy – now virtually destroyed – over Putin’s insane invasion of Ukraine, is it not time the ayatollahs experienced retribution for their endless aggression? The young of Iran seem ready to rise at last. Should we not encourage them?

Collectively and united the Western democracies are immensely powerful.

Another nightmare that never ceases to threaten its neighbours and prepares the most aggressive nuclear missiles is North Korea. Its barmy tyrant who seems to get away with anything is Kim Jong-Un. North Korea is bankrupt and its people starve.Yet we ship in wheat as Barmy Kim tests yet more nuclear missiles offshore.

And we protest – but that is all we do.We carry out joint land-seaair protests in the sky and on the seas and Kim takes no notice. He is convinced we will do no more, because he has nuclear weapons. But with our technology they could be wiped out in a single strike.

And there is opposition to Kim, but outside North Korea, mostly sheltering in the South. But it receives precious little support from us.

Surely it is time to increase support and aid massively to see what those North Koreans who loathe Kim could do with a bit of help.