SAEDNEWS: Their futile schemes to topple Iran and their looted shops were shut down, forcing them to find new ways to make a living. After all, their lives are expensive and luxurious, and those accustomed to the free money from the West are unwilling to work in cafes, restaurants, or dance on theater stages.
According to Saed News’ political desk, Farhikhtegan newspaper reported: the opposition’s strategy is to exploit the naïve. But how? Through “Googoosh perfume,” the scent of women and freedom, or merchandise like T-shirts and mugs featuring the Ukrainian plane; paid speeches and concerts held under the pretext of commemorating Mahsa Amini.
These are clear signs of the decline of movements that once claimed to champion solidarity. Today, to fund their lifestyles, they resort to such schemes. Even that seems to have failed, as they now post videos lamenting the hardships of life abroad and expressing regret over their choices. The latest blood-soaked business the Iranian opposition has launched is a product called “Nika Wine.”
The Opposition’s Profit from Young Iranian Blood
The controversy has grown so extreme that even anti-Iranian opposition figures are speaking out. Shadi Amin, a well-known activist affiliated with the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK), criticized the “Nika Wine” project as tinged with “royalist undertones,” linking it to earlier merchandise ventures like SAVAK-themed T-shirts and hats, multi-thousand-euro flags, and watches attributed to Farah Pahlavi. While proponents claim part of the revenue goes to charity, the real share remains unclear.
Amin emphasizes that this type of commerce—built on the suffering and desperation of the Iranian people—has a long history. He references products like the “Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Plate,” asking, “Who makes these?” According to him, it’s a spectrum: royalists turned sellers, marketing everything from Iranian flags and Lion-and-Sun necklaces to one-coin Pahlavi-era currency.
High-Profile Cash Grabs
Nika Wine is far from the opposition’s first indulgence. Faramarz Dadras, a former Pahlavi-era military officer, previously claimed in a video that Reza Pahlavi “always seeks money wherever he goes,” noting that the Shah’s foreign wealth alone ran into billions of dollars. Dadras also highlighted Farah Pahlavi’s fortune, criticized opposition fundraisers abroad that yield no tangible results, and warned young Iranians that their deaths only line the pockets of these figures.
Similarly, Alireza Akhundi, an Iranian-Swedish parliamentarian, reportedly earned €110,000 from unrest in 2022, far exceeding the €12,000 he initially admitted. Hamed Esmaeilion, affiliated with the MEK, leveraged the Flight 752 tragedy for political and financial gain, selling mugs and T-shirts to commemorate victims.
Yasmine Pahlavi also monetized her public appearances, charging $150 for general admission, $250 for VIP, and even $456 to sit next to her husband, with lunch priced at $250. Meanwhile, Reza Pahlavi, supported by Saudi funding and later turning to Israeli allies, launched platforms for collecting financial and logistical support.
Celebrity Ventures and Controversial Merch
Even Googoosh, famed Iranian singer, attempted to profit from protests with a perfume branded with “Woman, Life, Freedom.” The campaign was widely boycotted and criticized for exploiting young Iranians’ blood. Former actress Ronak Younesi asked followers to contribute “just $2” to show support for protest victims, a small-scale example of the opposition’s broader commercialization of unrest.
The pattern is clear: the main financial backers are no longer willing to fund these ventures, leaving opposition figures to devise increasingly shameless and creative ways to profit from Iranian suffering.
