It is way worse than Iran, but the Iranian theocracy comes the closest of all the repressive remiges in the world, ideologically and structurally (additionally, the Taliban are imitating the Iranian regime in its rhetoric; they recently used the Iranian regime terminology against those who criticize the Taliban "مخربین نظام." I think the Iran case is a great help in navigating where the Taliban are heading to). In 1979, the Iranian clergies were not as militarized as the Taliban are now. Iran's large educated urban population is against the regime even though they cannot get rid of the clergies. They have tried several times and paid huge prices each time; the clergy regime remains in power. We cannot get rid of the clergies without foreign help if the Iranians cannot.