A Nation Tested: Can Iran’s War Trauma Spark a National Reconciliation?

Wednesday, June 25, 2025  Read time3 min

SAEDNEWS: The recent Israeli strikes on Iranian soil, while militarily costly, have catalyzed something deeper within Iran’s political discourse: a rare moment of public unity.

A Nation Tested: Can Iran’s War Trauma Spark a National Reconciliation?

According to Saed News, prominent economist and political strategist Saeed Laylaz, speaking after the ceasefire between Iran and Israel, framed the recent conflict as more than a bilateral confrontation — describing it instead as a Western-led coalition war against the Islamic Republic. For Laylaz, the significance of the conflict lies not just in its military consequences but in the unexpected social aftermath: the emergence of what he terms a “new window for national reconciliation.”

Saeed Laylaz

Laylaz, who sits on the central council of the Executives of Construction Party, praised the public's reaction to the hostilities, calling it “astonishing.” Despite years of government mismanagement, economic hardship, and social alienation, he said, the Iranian public rallied without hesitation. “The people did not merely support the state — they stood ahead of it,” he stated. This spontaneous solidarity, he insists, must be nurtured into a longer-term rapprochement between the Iranian state and its citizens.

Drawing historical parallels, Laylaz likened Israel’s assault to Nazi Germany’s failed Operation Barbarossa, suggesting that Israel — like Hitler — had underestimated the social resilience of its target. “They thought one kick to the door would bring down the house,” he said, “but this house is Iran — the site of the third great revolution in human history.”

Saeed Laylaz

Laylaz believes the West, particularly the United States, has long misunderstood Iran’s political DNA. “It’s not the idea of an Islamic Republic that threatens them,” he argued, “but Iran’s independence and insistence on self-determination.” He warned against the illusion that external pressure could realign the country, asserting that Iran’s geopolitical solitude — while burdensome — is a historic constant and perhaps even a badge of honour.

This solitude, he argues, is structural. Since the time of Shah Abbas, Laylaz claims, Iran has stood alone geopolitically — not by choice but by the logic of its geography and history. “Even in today’s war, no great power helped us — not Russia, not China. And that, in a strange way, is a point of pride.”

He continued with a stark warning to Iran’s leadership: “Do not be deceived by this ceasefire or the talks behind it. This is not peace — it’s merely a pause.” According to Laylaz, the war revealed not just external threats but internal truths. “We learned again that without returning to the people — without making peace internally — we are vulnerable,” he said, urging the government to prioritize economic reform, transparency, and respect for civil liberties.

On the economic front, Laylaz painted a dire picture of inefficiency and mismanagement. With over $190 billion in primary energy output but just $60 billion in non-oil exports, Iran, he argued, is leaking value through waste, theft, and outdated infrastructure. “We could double food production and halve water consumption with just $16 billion in targeted investment,” he claimed. “The technology is there — only political will is lacking.”

He lamented the country’s fixation on trivialities like public morality patrols and instead called for strategic reforms: slashing bureaucracy, combating corruption, and restoring confidence in domestic institutions. “Democracy and independence are not luxuries — they’re necessities for national survival.”

At the heart of his message was a call for realism — not surrender. Laylaz dismissed notions of dependency on foreign powers as naïve. He reminded audiences that even when Iran cooperated with the U.S., such as during the invasion of Afghanistan or the JCPOA negotiations, goodwill was never reciprocated. “The U.S. will not stop until Iran is either a client state or a broken one,” he warned.

Saeed Laylaz

In a deeply personal reflection, Laylaz mourned the assassinated scientists and commanders lost in recent strikes, calling them “the distillation of a million students’ worth of learning.” He reserved special reverence for figures like Qassem Soleimani and Amir Ali Hajizadeh, whom he credited with expanding Iran’s geopolitical reach to the Mediterranean.

“This wasn’t a war Iran wanted,” he concluded. “But it became a moment of national awakening. If we miss this chance for reconciliation, we will have betrayed not just the martyrs — but the future of the republic itself.”