Iran is a Republican Problem

[gulliver]

9. I am somewhat comforted by what you're saying

North Korea is not a theocracy. The Islamic Republic is. It is and has been led by religious leaders who sponsor terrorist groups, notably only among their co-religious.

We don't see, for example, the Islamic Republic ayatollahs supporting secular arch-conservative bigots, although those ayatollas are, in fact, arch-conservative bigots. That innately indicates theocracy, which all of us, especially those of us who consider ourselves authentic progressives and liberals, are deeply in opposition against.

Yes, there are some signs that Iran is simply being held hostage by a kind of mafia. Ironically, that's comforting compared to theocracy.