Why Citizens Despise the Kleptocracy That Robbed Their Wealth and Stole Their Freedoms

The lack of accountability and the consolidation of absolute power under the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is seen as the ultimate failure of the revolution to establish a truly republican or democratic system, creating an autocracy dressed in religious garb. The unelected Guardian Council's power to disqualify candidates and veto laws ensures that the system remains closed to genuine reform. A strong appeasement against this is seen in the extremely low voter turnout in recent elections, with the public boycotting the polls to show their refusal to legitimize the predetermined political process.