JERUSALEM, Israel – As protests erupt across Iran and reports of mass casualties continue to surface, an Iranian-born lawyer and former Canadian lawmaker is warning the world that the Islamic Republic may be facing its most serious challenge in decades.
In an exclusive interview on Jerusalem Dateline, activist and attorney Goldie Ghamari told CBN News that information coming from inside Iran, though difficult to confirm, points to a staggering loss of life as the regime cracks down on nationwide protests.
“The numbers are unconfirmed, but we’re hearing of at least 30000, if not more,” Ghamari said. “It is the single largest massacre of Iranians by the Islamic dictatorship since they took over in 1979.”
Internet Blackout, Dire Conditions
Ghamari said the Iranian regime has largely shut down internet access, making it nearly impossible to communicate with family members and contacts on the ground.
“I actually haven’t heard from my family directly since they shut down the internet last week,” she said. Still, she added, messages filtering out of the country paint a grim picture. “What they are saying is that the situation is incredibly dire.”
Yet despite the mounting death toll, Ghamari says Iranians are pressing forward, convinced this moment could finally bring change after nearly half a century of authoritarian rule.
“After 47 years, we can see and taste freedom,” she said. “Iranians have never been more motivated than ever, and they’re not going to stop until they’re free.”
This Is the Breaking Point
When asked whether Iran has reached a point of no return, Ghamari’s answer was unequivocal.
“Absolutely 100 percent. This is the breaking point,” she said. “It’s war. Iranians are unarmed, and the Islamic dictatorship is bringing in proxy forces.”
She accused the regime of relying on terrorist groups it has long supported across the Middle East to suppress its own population, warning that the violence is escalating rapidly.
“It really is now or never,” she said. “If we do not overthrow the regime, then every single person who has been slaughtered these last few days it will all have been in vain.”
What Comes After the Regime
CBN News Middle East Bureau Chief Chris Mitchell noted that protests appear to be taking place in all 31 provinces involving millions of Iranians an unprecedented scale compared to past uprisings.
Ghamari said the fall of the regime would bring immediate and far-reaching change.
“Freedom,” she said. “We would finally have freedom after 47 years. We can finally have a normal country based on the principles of democracy and secularism, like we were prior to 1979.”
She also emphasized that a post-regime Iran could dramatically alter regional dynamics including its relationship with Israel.
“Prior to 1979, Iran and Israel were allies,” she said. “One of our top priorities in the transitional plan is to reestablish and normalize relationships with Israel.”
According to Ghamari, one key difference in this uprising is the unity among opposition groups, many of whom are rallying behind Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah, as a transitional leader.
“Young people in Iran are saying we are willing to risk our lives if it means we can return our king back to Iran,” she said.
Ghamari also pointed to what she described as a quiet but significant spiritual transformation underway inside the country.
“Christianity is the number one rising religion in occupied Iran,” she said, noting that many Iranians are turning to the Christian faith despite severe persecution. “Christianity offers love, peace, and hope, whereas Islam is more about hatred and death.”
A Call for Prayer and Action
As the interview concluded, Ghamari urged Christians around the world not only to pray for Iran but to speak out.
“Pray for us, pray for Iranians,” she said. “But also reach out to your elected officials and ask them to stand with the Iranian people and declare that the Islamic dictatorship is illegitimate.”
As events continue to unfold, the situation in Iran remains fluid and deeply consequential not only for the Iranian people but for the future of the Middle East and beyond.
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