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For Iranians, Protests in France Stir Memories of 1979 Revolution

Maddie Ali

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A man throws a plastic traffic cone through a burning barricade amid clashes during a day of demonstrations in Paris as part of nationwide protests, France, Oct. 17, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Abdul Saboor

IRAN — The ongoing protests in France have revived debate inside Iran over its historical role in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with some Iranians drawing parallels between unrest in Europe today and the political transformation that reshaped the Middle East nearly five decades ago.

The reactions reflect anger among some Iranians over what they see as Western double standards toward democracy, as well as concerns about the spread of Islamist political movements in Europe. France’s decision to host Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, during the final months before the Iranian revolution has become a particular focus of criticism.

Speaking to The Algemeiner, one Iranian mocked the language European governments have used to describe Iranian protesters, saying, “The French are not ready for democracy.”

The remark criticizes European officials who have questioned whether Iranian society is prepared for democratic governance, a position Iranians see as dismissive of their demands for political freedom.

A schoolteacher from Shiraz expressed a similar sentiment, arguing that France was now experiencing the consequences of its own political decisions, especially opening its borders to immigrants from the Middle East and North Africa.

“The French government is reaping what it sowed. They let Islamists in. Now they can enjoy Paris burning down.”

Others focused on France’s connection to the Iranian revolution. A street artist from Isfahan described the situation as “karma,” arguing that France should be held accountable for its role in the events preceding the revolution.

“This is karma; France helped the Islamic Revolution and hid Khomeini. They have to be held accountable for what they did to Iran,” he said.

An information technology student at Tehran University also mocked European leadership’s typical response to conflict and unrest in the Middle East, saying, “We are monitoring the situation very carefully; both parties should show restraint.”

A nurse from the southern city of Bushehr said Iranians had warned European countries about the potential consequences of Islamist movements.

“We have been warning Europe for decades about Islamists and their actions. France is an example of how extremism destroys societies and civilizations.”

He also challenged the language used by European governments to describe Iranian society: “They say we are not ready for democracy; look who is ready for democracy.”

The comments illustrate how France’s domestic political developments can become intertwined with Iranian debates about the 1979 revolution, religious extremism, far-left ideology, and the meaning of democracy.

Khomeini’s presence in France gave his movement international visibility and allowed his messages to reach Islamists in Iran and elsewhere.

Iranians’ reactions reflect a broader argument among the critics of the Islamic Republic that Western governments underestimated Khomeini’s political ambitions before the revolution.

Khomeini moved to France in October 1978 after leaving Iraq and settled in Neauphle-le-Chateau. During his stay, he communicated with supporters and international media before returning to Iran on Feb. 1, 1979, as the monarchy was collapsing. The revolution culminated in the establishment of the Islamic Republic, which continues to rule and shape Iran’s political and social life.

For Iranians, France’s historical connection to Khomeini remains a source of resentment. They argue that Western governments failed to anticipate the revolution’s consequences and criticized Iranians who opposed the political system it established.

The comparison between the two countries also reflects a wider debate about democracy, political repression, and the treatment of protesters. For many Iranians, developments in France have become an opportunity to challenge European judgments about Iran and the demands of thousands of protesters slain in January 2026 by the Iranian regime.

Many Iranians blame France’s government, far-left groups, and the pro-Palestinian movement for the unrest in France, drawing comparisons with the alliances between leftist factions and Islamists during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. They recall how groups that initially joined forces to overthrow the Shah, the monarch who governed Iran before the revolution, were later targeted by the Islamic regime, with leftist activists among those imprisoned and executed under the very political system they had helped bring to power.

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