The slogan “Death to the tyrant, whether Shah or [supreme] leader” sent a clear message: Iranian society would not trade one dictatorship for another. 2022: A decisive turning point, when slogans like “Death to the tyrant, whether Shah or [supreme] leader” and “Death to Khamenei” highlighted the people’s determination to uproot all forms of despotism. A Century-Long Struggle Condensed in Four WordsThe phrase “whether Shah or leader” embodies over a hundred years of struggle against centralized power in Iran. Blocking the Path to RegressionDuring the coronavirus pandemic, the regime’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei used the crisis to delay uprisings while state media promoted fabricated monarchist slogans. A Declaration of Maturity and ResolveThe slogan “Death to the tyrant, whether Shah or [supreme] leader” is more than a chant of defiance.