Inside Iran’s Regime: Defectors Reveal How It Keeps Power

In an exclusive DW investigation, two defectors from Iran’s security apparatus reveal the inner workings of a regime that has survived war, sanctions, and repeated waves of protest. Over months of secret correspondence, DW’s investigative team corroborated the identities and testimony of a former intelligence officer and a former special forces commander, who describe a system built on ideological conditioning, privileged access to business opportunities, and control that extends into personal lives, including marriage. The defectors explain how the regime recruits, rewards, and controls the men who keep it in power, offering a rare glimpse into the mechanisms of authoritarian resilience. Their accounts detail how loyalty is enforced through a mix of indoctrination, economic incentives, and social pressure, creating a web of dependency that makes defection rare and dangerous. This report sheds light on why Iran’s regime has proven so durable despite internal dissent and external pressure, and what it means for future protests and international efforts to challenge its grip. The testimony provides a unique window into the security forces that underpin the Islamic Republic’s power structure.