Iran

From Gothpoodle

• Population: 110 million
• Aspects: Powerful, Totalitarian, Third Wave

At the beginning of the century, Iran’s leadership had a clear mission: to unify Islam and drive out Communist, Western, and secular influences. Unfortunately much of the Muslim world did not agree, divided from Iran by religious (Shi’ite vs. Sunni) and ethnic (Persian vs. Arab) distinctions. Appeals to religion and anti-Western sentiments failed. Sponsorship of terrorism only hardened anti-Iranian attitudes. An episode of military adventurism led to the Third Gulf War of 2013, in which Western forces handed Iran a punishing defeat. By the 2040s it was obvious that the hated Saudi monarchy would win the prize of Islamic leadership, leaving Iran isolated in the world community.

The result was a period of social upheaval, the likes of which had not been seen since the 1970s. The population was severely divided, many called for democratic reforms, state secularization, and reconciliation with the world community. In 2053 a secular faction in the Iranian military botched a coup attempt, plunging the country into civil war. The secularists won, but only after years of bloodshed.

Today Iran is a neo-fascist state, ruled by a ruthless alliance of business and military leaders. Modern technology is used to monitor the population, detecting and crushing any hint of rebellion. Religion is one of the foremost targets of this repression. Although the country remains Muslim, mullahs and other religious leaders are forbidden to involve themselves in politics on pain of death or exile. The ruling regime uses psychoneural techniques to “cure” dissidents of their inconvenient beliefs, especially devout Muslims who refuse to accept secularism.

Since the end of the civil war, Iran has made some economic progress. The government and its business allies have made massive investments in education and technological improvement. Today, Iranian industry is quickly absorbing Fourth Wave biotechnology. Most biotech applications involve transgenic plants and animals or non-sentient constructs, since the country is far from suffering any shortage of labor.

On the other hand, the Iranian ruling elite is notorious for importing large numbers of bioroids for all kinds of personal service. Some of the Iranian leadership are so surrounded by their bioroid servants and bodyguards that they need never interact with other humans except by telepresence. This habit only increases the regime’s unpopularity among the Iranian people.