Iran’s authoritarian regime is losing power. Everyday Iranians are rejecting official propaganda and have even refused to take part in state-sponsored pro-Hamas demonstrations. Although it still faces government oppression, the freedom movement in the country is growing as more and more people come in contact with the ideas of free markets and individual rights. The regime’s waning strength has created a unique opportunity for growing pro-freedom momentum in Iran and across the region to advance peace, prosperity, and human dignity.

About Mohamad Machine-Chian

Mohamad Machine-Chian is a senior journalist at Iran International. Before joining the network, he was a senior researcher at the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Governance and Markets. Across nearly two decades in Iranian media, he was a prominent opinion writer in some of the most circulated newspapers and magazines and held key editorial roles—including editor-in-chief of Donya Eqtesad TV (EcoIran), head of markets and economy at Sazandegi Newspaper, and head of political economy at Siasatnameh Magazine. As a Reynolds Fellow at Atlas Network, he is part of a global community of freedom champions working to strengthen the institutional foundations necessary for liberty.

About Dr. Tom G. Palmer

Atlas Network’s Executive Vice President, Dr. Tom G. Palmer, has advanced liberty in some of the world’s most challenging environments — from behind the Iron Curtain to the heart of the Muslim world. His experience supporting emerging freedom movements makes him uniquely positioned to guide a serious, forward-looking conversation about Iran’s political future.