Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Cumhuriyet - 24 Şubat 2026 - Nazım Mutlu (Emekli öğretmen) - Eğitimdeki çöküşe ramazan perdesi! - Nazım Mutlu

 

Olaylar Ve Görüşler
Son Köşe Yazıları

Eğitimdeki çöküşe ramazan perdesi! - Nazım Mutlu

24.02.2026 04:00
Güncellenme: 

Dileyenlerin 25 Temmuz 2018’de MEB Müsteşarlığı’ndan ayrılan ve 17 Ağustos 2018’den sonra yasadışı akademik unvan sıçramalarıyla nasıl profesör ve rektör olduğuna ilişkin bilgilere kolayca ulaşabileceği Milli Eğitim Bakanı Yusuf Tekin, bakanlıktaki müsteşarlık yıllarından başladığı eğitimi kendi siyasal çizgilerine göre biçimlendirme çalışmalarına yeni halkalar ekliyor. Tekin, bakan olur olmaz kız çocuklarının okullarını ayırmaktan söz edip seleflerinden devraldığı karma eğitimi baltalama işlemlerinin süreceğine ilişkin tavrını açıklamıştı.

Cumhuriyet devrimlerine kara çalanların yıllardır hiçbir belgeye, kanıta dayanmadan kullandıkları “tek parti (CHP) döneminde camilerin kapısına kilit vurulduğu, ahır yapıldığı” tekerlemesini ikide bir kullanmayı marifet sanan Tekin, geçen yılki bütçe görüşmelerinde de tarikat-cemaat uzantılarıyla imzaladıkları protokollerin süreceğini, aynı çevrelerle ÇEDES (Çevreme Duyarlıyım Değerlerimi Seviyorum) başlığıyla okullarda yürütülen sözde “değerler eğitimi”ni yaygınlaştıracaklarını da açıklamıştı.

KARŞIDEVRİMDE YENİ ADIM

Dikkat edilirse iktidarın eğitim öğretim kurumlarında MEB eliyle yürüttüğü karşıdevrim hareketi, Cumhuriyetin temel dayanaklarından olan Öğretim Birliği’ni, anayasa ve yasalarda önceliği olan “demokratik, laik, sosyal hukuk devleti” ve “eşitlik” ilkesini tümüyle yok saymaya dönüşmüştür. Bu kapsamda en son Yusuf Tekin imzasıyla bütün valiliklere, onlar aracılığıyla da bütün eğitim kurumlarına yollanan “Maarifin Kalbinde Ramazan” konulu etkinlikler genelgesi, iktidarın “milli ve manevi değerler” şemsiyesiyle sürdürdüğü ideolojik dayatmaların yeni adımıdır.

Yaklaşık çeyrek yüzyıllık iktidarları boyunca izledikleri çarpık, dengesiz, adaletsiz, rant odaklı ekonomik politikalar nedeniyle altüst olan bir gidiş söz konusuyken üstelik gerek etnik köken gerekse inançsal değerleriyle çok katmanlı kimliğe sahip bir toplumsal yapımız varken “öğrencilerin paylaşma bilincini geliştirmeye, yardımlaşma ve dayanışma duygularını güçlendirmeye ve birlik ruhunu pekiştirmeye yönelik etkinliklerde adalet, merhamet ve vatanseverlik gibi milli ve manevi değerlerin öğrencilere kazandırılması”nın uygulamada nasıl gerçekleşeceği merak konusu bile değil, farklı düşünce ve inançtaki öğrenci velileri öğrenciler için kaygı konusudur.

YÖNETİCİLERİN SORUMLULUĞU

Bu durumda bütünüyle bilimle ama özellikle eğitbilimle (pedagoji), yurttaşlığı temel alan laiklik ilkesi ve evrensel insan haklarıyla hiçbir biçimde bağdaşmayan böyle bir girişimi fırsat bilip üstlerine yaranma çabası içinde olan olası kimi yönetici ve öğretmenlerin etkinliklere katılmayan meslektaşları ve öğrencilere karşı geliştirecekleri olumsuz tutum ve davranışların yaratacağı her türlü sonuçtan her düzeydeki yönetici sorumlu olacaktır. Hangi eğitim uzmanlarınca hazırlandığı bilinmeyen MEB genelgesi doğrultusunda örneğin 20 maddeden oluşan ramazan etkinlikleri izlencesi oluşturan Ankara İl Milli Eğitim Müdürlüğü’nün istekleri arasındaki “cami ve kutsal mekân ziyaretleri”, “ramazan temalı resim, şiir, afiş yarışması”, “fener yapımı, hilal boyama ve el işi çalışmaları” gibi etkinliklere katılmak istemeyen ya da katılmayan öğretmen ve öğrencilerin ne gibi sonuçlarla karşılaşacakları, bakan ve çalışma arkadaşlarınca iyi düşünülmüş, hesaba katılmış mıdır?

GERÇEK SORUNLAR DURURKEN...

İşin gerçeği, ülkemizin istekleri ve çağımızın gerekleri doğrultusunda tasarlanıp uygulanması gereken insan ve toplum odaklı bir eğitim planlaması yerine iktidarın artık üstesinden gelemediği sürekli artan ekonomik bunalımı, işsizliği, hukuksuzluğu, yoksulluğu, adaletsizliği vb. örtbas etme amacı taşıyan bu ve benzer çabalar, temeli sevgi ve hoşgörüye dayalı inançlarla yaşayan insanımızın vicdanında hiçbir karşılık bulamayacaktır.

Oysa iş barışını ve toplumsal huzuru bozacak bu tür dayatmalar yerine Bakan Tekin ve arkadaşları örneğin son beş yılda 453 bin üniversite öğrencisinin neden kaydını dondurduğuna, 25 yıl önce 60 bin dolayında olan ataması yapılmayan öğretmen sayısını hangi politikalarla 1 milyona çıkardıklarına, yazılı ve sözlü sınavlarda eledikleri öğretmen adaylarından yaklaşık 90 binini neden halen ücretli öğretmen olarak karın tokluğuna çalıştırdıklarına, OECD ülkeleri ortalamasında yükseköğretim öncesi kademelerde öğrenci başına düşen yıllık harcama 13 bin 527 dolar iken Türkiye’de neden dört bin 32 dolar olduğuna, geçen yıl milli eğitim bütçesinin beş katı faize giderken beslenme sorunuyla boğuşan milyonlarca öğrenciye neden bir öğün sıcak yemek vermediklerine, kurdukları çakma üniversitelere neden eksi puanlarla öğrenci kaydettiklerine vb. kafa yorup çözüm üretseler her anlamda kazançlı çıkacaklardır.

Çöküşe ramazan perdesi çekerek kazanacakları hiçbir şey yoktur. Tekin ve arkadaşları bu tür zorlamalarla suyu tersine akıtma çabalarından bir kez başlarını kaldırıp kendi dönemlerinde gençlerde yükselen deizm ateizm oranına bakarlarsa yaptıklarının neye yaradığını daha iyi göreceklerdir. Bizden söylemesi...

NAZIM MUTLU

EMEKLİ ÖĞRETMEN

DW Live Conflicts Ukraine updates: 'Ukraine's fate is our fate' says Merz Ukraine Jenipher Camino Gonzalez | Mark Hallam | Jon Shelton | Kieran Burke | Alex Berry with AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters

 DW

Live

Conflicts

Ukraine updates: 'Ukraine's fate is our fate' says Merz  Ukraine

Jenipher Camino Gonzalez | Mark Hallam | Jon Shelton | Kieran Burke | Alex Berry with AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters


Published 20 hours ago  Published 20 hours ago  last updated 38 minutes ago  last updated 38 minutes ago


German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was amongst the European leaders marking the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion. Ukraine's President Zelenskyy said Putin is still far from achieving his goals. DW has the latest.


https://p.dw.com/p/59GbS

A woman place flowers at the memorial to the fallen Ukrainian soldiers on Independence Square to mark the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026


An estimated 140,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died fighting against the Russian invasion since February 2022

Image: Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo/picture alliance


Skip next section What you need to know

What you need to know

Tuesday marks four years since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine

EU leaders travel to Ukraine to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the war


Russian authorities say an explosive device detonated near a train station in Moscow

Below are the latest headlines, background and analysis from Russia's war in Ukraine on Tuesday, February 24.


Skip next section Slovakia says Russian oil to flow back this week

38 minutes ago38 minutes ago


Slovakia says Russian oil to flow back this week

Slovakia said that shipments of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline that passes through Ukraine were expected to resume on Thursday, a statement by the Slovak government said.


It all comes after Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said his country would halt emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine until Kyiv reopened the Druzhba pipeline that brings Russian oil to Slovakia and Hungary. 


"The latest date announced for the resumption of shipments was delayed to February 26," the ministry said in a statement.


The Slovak government said that it had not received an explanation from Ukraine explaining the delay in resuming shipments.


Ukraine previously said the pipeline was damaged January 27 by Russian strikes. 


The EU imposed a ban on most oil imports from Russia in 2022 due to Moscow's attack on Kyiv, but the Druzhba pipeline was exempted to give landlocked Central European countries time to find alternative oil supplies.


Since then, Slovakia and Hungary continue to depend on Russian energy and they have both sharply criticized the cut in oil deliveries.


Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had also blocked both a 90-billion-euro ($106-billion) EU loan to Ukraine as well as a fresh round of sanctions on Russia until Kyiv re-opens the oil pipeline.


Orban: Europeans not unified on war in Ukraine


01:43

https://p.dw.com/p/59Lif

Copy link

Skip next section WATCH: Russia enjoyed impunity for decades, Ukrainian activist tells DW

1 hour ago1 hour ago

WATCH: Russia enjoyed impunity for decades, Ukrainian activist tells DW

Nicole Frölich

Four years ago, Russia started its invasion of Ukraine.


Oleksandra Matviichuk, founder of the Ukrainian "Center for Civil Liberties" and 2022 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, speaks to DW about the human toll of the war.  


Ukrainian activist: Russia enjoyed impunity for decades


08:03

https://p.dw.com/p/59JGe

Copy link

 

https://p.dw.com/p/59LeK

Copy link

 Ukraine denies Russian claims on nuclear weapons

2 hours ago2 hours ago

Ukraine denies Russian claims on nuclear weapons

Ukraine called Russian claims that Kyiv was trying to obtain nuclear weapons "absurd."

Russia's Foreign Intelligence ​Service (SVR) accused the UK and France of seeking to ​secretly supply ⁠Ukraine with nuclear weapon parts and technology. ⁠The SVR did not provide evidence for the claim.

"Russian officials, known for ​their impressive record of lies, are once ​again trying to fabricate the ‌old 'dirty bomb' nonsense," Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, ‌told Reuters news agency.

"For the record: Ukraine ‌has ​already denied such absurd Russian claims many times before, and we officially ​deny them again now. We urge the international community to ⁠reject ​and condemn Russia’s dirty ​information bombs," Kyiv said.


https://p.dw.com/p/59LJZ

UN adopts motion saying Ukraine must not be divided; US, Hungary abstain

1 hour ago1 hour ago

UN adopts motion saying Ukraine must not be divided; US, Hungary abstain

The UN General Assembly has adopted a motion put forward by Ukraine supporting the country's international borders and voicing concern over intensifying Russian attacks on civilians and critical energy infrastructure, but without support from the United States. 

The motion is in no way binding but does carry political weight and was seen as a gauge for international support for Ukraine. 

It passed with 107 votes in favor, 12 against and 51 abstentions, as well as just over 20 countries that didn't participate.

Predictably, Russia led the minority voting against, joined by its close allies Belarus and North Korea, as well as by Iran, Niger, Sudan and others. 

Two NATO members, Donald Trump's US and Viktor Orban's Hungary, abstained, while the rest of the military alliance and the European Union voted in favor.

Another Security Council veto holder, China, abstained in the vote, as did India and Pakistan, the Gulf states, Brazil, South Africa, Serbia, and multiple post-Soviet Central Asian and Caucasian states, among others.


Copy link

Skip next section G7 leaders pledge 'unwavering support for Ukraine'

3 hours ago3 hours ago

G7 leaders pledge 'unwavering support for Ukraine'

Leaders of the G7 group of advanced economies said they reaffirmed their "unwavering support for Ukraine" in a statement on the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion. 

US President Donald Trump was included in the declaration.

"We express our continued support for President Trump's efforts to achieve these objectives by initiating a peace process and bringing the parties to direct discussions. Europe has a leading role to play in this process, joined by other partners," the leaders of the US, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan said. 

"We acknowledge that ​only Ukraine ‌and Russia, working together in good faith negotiations, ​can ⁠reach a peace agreement," the statement read.


As Ukraine finds itself in the midst of a brutal winter of fighting, the G7 said it has provided financial support along with "critical equipment" in recent weeks such as generators and turbines to aid the country's energy supplies.


The group said that since January, "more than half a billion euros of new pledges were made to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund to purchase equipment to repair and protect the Ukrainian energy system.

Federal Foreign Office (Germany) - 24 February 2026 - Speech by Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul at Cafe Kyiv, hosted by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung

 

Federal Foreign OfficeSpeech
24.02.2026
shadow

Speech by Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul at Cafe Kyiv, hosted by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung

I stand before you today filled with deep respect. 
In German, there is a word that has fallen somewhat out of fashion: Heldenmut – heroic courage. Heldenmut is not the lack of fear. Rather, Heldenmut is deciding to face fear. 
Those who have come back from the front lines – as have you – know the meaning of danger. They know the meaning of loss and hardship. And they know the meaning of fear. For humankind, fear is an intrinsic motivator. 
Yet, despite this fear, you all return to the front lines. You choose to face danger. You all display Heldenmut
You do not fight because you want to fight. But rather because you must. Because Moscow has forced you into a war. 
And you are aware of your responsibility. You know what is at stake. Your freedom. The dignity of a free country. The right of self-determination. And, in very practical terms, your families’ future.
However, this war is about even more. 
Because Moscow has made it clear time and again that this is about a confrontation with the West. 
The Kremlin wants an illiberal world of autocracies, against the West. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is part of a larger attack on the rules-based international order. That is what this brutal war of conquest is about. 
This is the reason why your Heldenmut supports and protects more than just your country. It also supports us as Germany, and as a united Europe. This makes your Heldenmut our obligation. 
Our position is clear. Ukraine can count on its partners. We stand by its side. 
This is why Germany is leading the way. We provide support in the form of air defence and weapons, as well as economic and humanitarian assistance. 
We have yet again increased our winter relief, to a total of 400 million euro. The massive attacks on energy infrastructure in recent weeks show that Moscow wants to bomb Ukraine into a blackout. 
Hospitals, schools and apartment buildings are without electricity, without heating, without water. We are talking about up to half a million people – in Kyiv alone. These attacks on the civilian population violate international law. It is a systematic campaign of terror. The people of Ukraine are supposed to bow to terror. This is Putin’s cynical game with the cold. 
There can be no doubt that Europe must do even more to support Ukraine. 
We are thus constantly calling on our partners to increase their contributions to Ukrainian defence and for civilian assistance. 
It is important that we continue to stand as one with Ukraine and that we continue to increase the pressure on Russia. Our desired aim, the one we are working towards, is a lasting and just peace for Ukraine. 
However, Ukraine can only conduct peace negotiations from a position of strength. We must put it in this position. You, dear soldiers, have been making your contribution for four years now. You are providing the miracle of resistance. 
And for that I want to sincerely thank you. I also want to assure you that we will not abandon you. 
Thank you very much indeed. And now I look forward to our discussio

GREEK REPORTER - By Tasos Kokkinidis - February 24, 2026 - Greece Positions Itself as Southeast Europe’s Energy Hub at D.C. Event

 Greece Positions Itself as Southeast Europe’s Energy Hub at D.C. Event

Greece energy hub
The Greek minister noted that the European Union is now the largest destination for US LNG exports. Credit: AMNA

The role of Greece as an emerging energy hub in Southeastern Europe and the strategic importance of the Vertical Corridor for Europe’s energy security were highlighted by the Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou, while speaking at the event “10 years of US-EU LNG cooperation” as part of his visit to Washington.

In his speech, Papastavrou directly linked energy policy to geopolitical stability. He maintained that energy diversification is now a strategic imperative for Europe, especially following the energy crisis that is the result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

As he noted, from the very beginning, Greece has clearly taken a stance in support of Ukraine, emphasizing that the Greek position on the matter is also linked to its own historical experiences:

“Greece understood this from the very beginning and took a clear position in favor of Ukraine. And how could it do otherwise, given the Turkish invasion and the ongoing occupation of Cyprus? We do not treat sovereignty as an abstract concept. We know what its violation means in practice. For us, security is a matter of national interest and determination. That is why our energy choices are fully aligned with our security commitments, as well as with our principles.”

Greece transformed into regional energy hub

The Greek minister noted that the European Union is now the largest destination for US LNG exports, while describing the Vertical Corridor as an “ artery of peace and prosperity,” as it connects countries that were previously divided.

According to Papastavrou, Greece has transformed from a country of clean consumption into a regional gas transit hub. He stated that, in 2019, the country imported approximately 6 to 7 billion cubic meters (BCM), which were consumed domestically, while in 2024 imports amounted to 17 BCM, of which eleven were exported to neighboring countries.

He made particular reference to the cooperation of the countries participating in the Vertical Corridor, noting that this is an initiative that requires the coordination of five states and an equal number of transmission system operators, characterizing it as historic. The commercial “ Route 1” can extend from Revithoussa to Kiev, maintained Papastavrou, giving the project a clear geopolitical dimension.

Papastavrou also stressed that energy markets cannot be considered in isolation from the international security environment, saying:

“Gas markets in times of war are not neutral transactions but have direct geopolitical consequences. Correcting this contradiction was and remains a strategic imperative. Diversification is no longer a matter of flexibility. It is a matter of strategic necessity.”

“Russian gas must not re-enter Europe indirectly”

The Greek minister also placed particular emphasis on the need to prevent the re-entry of Russian gas into the European market through alternative routes, pointing out that this constitutes a real risk to Europe’s collective strategy.

“We must remain vigilant,” he warned. “Russian gas must not re-enter Europe indirectly, through alternative routes that undermine our collective strategy. The United States and the European Commission must work closely, persist, and deter Turkiye and anyone else who is willing to open the ‘back door’ to Russian gas and undermine this common effort.”

In conclusion, Papastavrou stressed that Greece will continue to operate with consistency and strategic discipline. “Greece will continue to act with consistency, strategic discipline, and a clear sense of purpose, actively contributing to a secure, competitive, and energy-resilient Europe,” he said.

On Tuesday, the Greek minister will participate in the “Transatlantic Summit on Natural Gas Security and the Vertical Corridor,” which will focus on security of supply and the coordination of the region’s energy networks.

Institut Montaigne Iran: Facing a Deep Structural Rupture Between Society and the Regime, What Strategy for Europe and France? Author Reza Pirzadeh

 Institut  Montaigne 

Iran: Facing a Deep Structural Rupture Between Society and the Regime, What Strategy for Europe and France?

Author

Reza Pirzadeh

23 February 2026


Iran stands at a crossroads. Not since 1979 has the gap between Iranian society and the Islamic Republic been so wide or so irreparable. On one side, a young, educated, urban population, outward-looking and explicit in its demands for a democratic rule-of-law state, individual freedoms, and secular governance. On the other, a politico-religious system built on ideological primacy, concentrated power, and a regional revolutionary mission. The January 2026 uprising - and the mass repression that followed - transformed decades of latent tension into an unmistakable structural rupture.


The issue is not merely preventing yet another regional crisis; it is understanding what policy can reconcile immediate stability with the reality of a deep, ongoing transformation within Iranian society.


At a moment when Washington is seeking a way out of forty years of “neither war nor peace” with the Islamic Republic, and Europe is reconsidering its role in the Middle East, the Iranian question can no longer be reduced to a nuclear or security file. It compels a broader reflection on the coherence of Western policy toward a regime weakened but still coercive, and toward a society that continues to fight for its freedom despite the violence inflicted upon it.The issue is not merely preventing yet another regional crisis; it is understanding what policy can reconcile immediate stability with the reality of a deep, ongoing transformation within Iranian society.


A Structural Rupture Between Society and the Regime


For more than a century, Iranian society has pursued a political trajectory oriented toward limiting state power and strengthening popular sovereignty. From the 1906 Constitutional Revolution to today’s mobilizations, this aspiration has never faded. What has changed is the scale of the disconnect between this historical movement and the nature of the state born of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.


The Islamic Revolution aimed to forge a "new Islamic human being," ideologically disciplined and reintegrated into a theocratic order presented as authentically religious. The "Cultural Revolution" of the early 1980s - closing universities, rewriting curricula, purging dissent—was intended to reshape society in this mold. Forty-seven years later, the result is the opposite: Iran has become one of the most educated and urbanized societies in the Middle East, and remains connected to the world despite sanctions. A large majority of Iranians has repeatedly expressed its democratic aspirations. The simple truth is that the nation has modernized; the regime has not. Hence the rupture.


This rupture is, first and foremost, normative. The regime continues to drive its legitimacy from Velayat-e Faqih and from a transnational revolutionary mission embedded in its Constitution. Society, meanwhile, aspires overwhelmingly to a "normal" nation-state - one integrated into the global economy and protective of individual rights. The rupture has also become moral after the killing of tens of thousands of protesters in January, violence that now amounts to crimes against humanity.


An ever-growing share of the population no longer recognizes the regime as legitimate, while the regime sees its survival only through coercion.


The Temptation of a Pragmatic Deal: Exiting the Cycle of "Neither War Nor Peace"


In Washington’s view, Iran is not only a nuclear or regional file - it is a key factor in the broader strategic competition with China.


For four decades, the United States and Iran have moved within a hybrid framework: no diplomatic relations, constant sanctions, periodic military tensions, but no full-scale war - except for the June 22, 2025 strikes. The Trump administration appears intent on ending this ambiguous cycle of "neither war nor peace". In Washington’s view, Iran is not only a nuclear or regional file - it is a key factor in the broader strategic competition with China.


Reinserting Iran into an economic architecture less dependent on Beijing would limit China’s access to discounted Iranian oil and curb the deepening Sino-Iranian strategic alignment. The message to Tehran is clear: a negotiated compromise remains possible, but refusal will come at an ever-increasing cost. In effect: accept the deal now, or pay a higher price after military action. This signals a departure from decades of strategic ambiguity and an attempt to end the logic of "neither war nor peace."


The stated objective is straightforward: avoid war while maintaining credible deterrence. But beyond deterrence, Washington increasingly appears to favor a different path: seeking an outcome from within the regime, not through the opposition. This is not indulgence toward authoritarianism; it is strategic realism.


U.S. officials know the exiled opposition remains fragmented, lacks unified leadership, and has limited organizational capacity or domestic networks. It is not equipped to manage a transition in a country of 90 million people with powerful security institutions and sensitive infrastructure, including nuclear sites. Under such conditions, the sudden collapse of the Islamic Republic would generate major instability with real risks of regional destabilization.


Such a scenario is undesirable for the United States, European capitals, the Gulf Arab states, and Turkey - each aware of how an unstable Iran would affect energy security, migration, and the wider strategic balance.


Within this context, the most plausible trajectory is the emergence of a coalition uniting segments of the armed forces open to political evolution, pragmatic conservatives, and technocrats. Their shared goal would be to marginalize the most ideological factions and initiate a limited opening toward the United States to secure sanctions relief and stimulate economy recovery. To that end, such a coalition might be ready to offer concessions acceptable to the Trump administration.


This scenario could unfold with - or without - a preliminary military confrontation.

Its immediate strategic benefits would be clear: reduced risk of nuclear proliferation and a temporary stabilization of the region. It might also marginally improve economic conditions for Iranians.


But it would not solve the essential issue: political legitimacy.


An Insufficient Outcome for Iranian Society: What Should Europe and France Do?


For a large majority of Iranians, the stakes go far beyond economy hardship. They concern the nature of the state itself: separation of religion and politics, judicial independence, free elections, and an end to the Supreme Leader’s overarching authority.


For a large majority of Iranians, the stakes go far beyond economy hardship. They concern the nature of the state itself: separation of religion and politics, judicial independence, free elections, and an end to the Supreme Leader’s overarching authority. It is unrealistic to imagine the population accepting a “reconfigured authoritarianism” and abandoning its historic demands for freedom, secularism, and democracy. Civil society is already working to build a pluralistic, democratic alternative that can prevent the dictatorship from reproducing itself.


Recently, seventeen political and civil society figures - including filmmakers Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof, Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi, and political prisoner Mostafa Tajzadeh - called for a peaceful transition to a secular democracy and for the restoration of normal diplomatic relations with the West, as reported by Iran International.


What makes this appeal significant is its strategic clarity. The signatories move beyond protest to outline a concrete political horizon. By urging the armed forces to refuse participation in repression and to stand with the popular will, they seek to create space for drafting a new Constitution through an orderly transition rather than a violent rupture.


The issue, therefore, is not only nuclear or security-related. It is political and civilizational. A tactical arrangement may buy time, but not durable peace. Conversely, pushing for the regime’s collapse without a credible alternative risks opening the door to instability and chaos.


The most realistic approach is to manage short-term risks while supporting the long-term emergence of a credible democratic alternative from within the country.


This aligns with four core expectations consistently expressed by the Iranian people:


Tie any sanctions relief to measurable human-rights progress - not only to nuclear concessions.

Recognize the Iranian democratic movement as a legitimate political actor and open dialogue with its representatives inside the country.

Support unrestricted internetaccess in Iran as a concrete tool of freedom.

Impose targeted sanctions on individuals responsibleforrepression.

A fundamental reality stands out: Iranian society has changed profoundly and will continue to push for freedom and democracy through the strength of its civic fabric. A society with a mass democratic aspiration does not disappear. It can be repressed, fragmented, slowed - but not permanently contained.

European policymakers have consistently underestimated this evolution. It is time to reassess it - because what unfolds in Iran will shape the strategic landscape from Central Asia to the Mediterranean and, ultimately, Europe’s own interests and security.


 


copyright ATTA KENARE / AFP


Tehran, 2026


 



European Council 24/02/2026 17:16 | Statements and remarks | - Remarks by President António Costa at the press conference following the meeting with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen