Ace Nova Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 WorldViews Tens of thousands of people have protested in Iran. Here’s why. By Marwa Eltagouri January 3 at 6:31 PM Anti-government protests spread in Iran, garner U.S. praise At the end of 2017 and beginning of 2018, Iran has seen its largest demonstrations since the 2009 presidential election. Here's what you need to know. (Erin Cunningham, Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) Anti-government protests in Iran, where demonstrations of political unrest are rare, have left at least 20 people dead — and do not appear to be subsiding. Since Thursday, tens of thousands of protesters have formed the largest outpouring of government opposition since the volatile 2009 presidential elections. The scale and ferocity of the protests had clerical leaders in Tehran struggling Tuesday to respond to what is likely the most serious internal crisis the country has faced this decade. [Latest: Iran holds pro-government rallies to counter street protests] Iran has a powerful security force, but leaders have not yet called on the Revolutionary Guard and the Basij militia, who flattened the 2009 demonstrations by killing dozens of protesters. Why are people protesting? On Dec. 28, protests broke out in the northern city of Mashhad, spurred at first by concern over the country's stunted economy and the high prices of basic goods like eggs, which saw a 40 percent jump in price. Over the next six days, the protests in more than two dozen towns would turn into an open rebellion against Iran's Islamic leadership itself. Protesters' chants and attacks on government buildings upended a system that had little tolerance for dissent, with some demonstrators even shouting “Death to the dictator!” — referring to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — and asking security forces to join them, The Post's Erin Cunningham reported. In Iran, where ruling clerics hold much of the power, some protesters are frustrated that social freedoms and political openness are being suppressed by the establishment. Working-class Iranians who want higher wages and a solution to unemployment are frustrated that the economy has been slow to grow despite the lifting of sanctions under an international nuclear deal. Iranian authorities have blocked access to social media and messaging apps that would allow demonstrators to organize, according to the New York Times. The decision prompted President Trump to tweet that the country had “closed down the internet so that peaceful demonstrators cannot communicate. Not good!” The protests appeared to have been initially caused by President Hassan Rouhani's leak of a proposed government budget last month that called for slashing cash subsidies to the poor and raising fuel prices to lower debt, The Post reported. But the plan also included fees for car registration and an unpopular departure tax. Protesters are also demanding to know why Iran has spent billions of dollars on foreign policy in the Middle East at a time when people are struggling at home. Iran has sent cash, weapons and fighters to Syria, for example, and has financially supported Palestinians and the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah. Unemployment for young people, half of Iran's population, is at 40 percent, the New York Times reported. Iran’s economy has grown since the nuclear deal thanks to resumed oil exports, although growth outside the oil sector has sagged. Global oil markets have already seen the effects of the unrest in Iran, an OPEC member. Oil futures pushed above $60 a barrel, close to a 30-month high, The Post reported. Mandatory Credit: Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock (9306337i) Dozens of protesters demonstrate against the Iranian regime and in support of the Iranian anti government demonstrators near the Iranian embassy in Paris, France, 03 January 2018. Media reports that after several days of ongoing anti-regime protests in Iran, the country's Islamic leadership has now organized pro government rallies nationwide. Iranian living in France demonstrate against the Iranian regime in Paris - 03 Jan 2018 How intense are the protests? The revolts have left at least 20 people dead — including nine overnight Tuesday — after protesters clashed with security forces in locations around the country. Videos online show protesters running from tear gas and water cannons and others confronting police. About 90 percent of those arrested in protests were under 25 years old, Reuters reported, citing official figures. Six of the latest causalities took place during an attack on a police station in Qahdarijan, according to state television. The clashes were allegedly sparked by protesters who tried to steal guns from the station. State television also reported an 11-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man were killed in the town of Khomeinishahr, and a member of the Revolutionary Guard was killed in the town of Najafabad. A semiofficial news agency reported Tuesday that 450 people have been arrested in Tehran since Saturday. The ILNA news agency cited Ali Asghar Nasserbakht, a security deputy governor of Tehran, in its report. “I demand all prosecutors across the country to get involved,” said Sadegh Larijani, according to the Associated Press. Their “approach should be strong,” he said. Protesters could also potentially face the death penalty when their cases come to trial, according to the head of Tehran's Revolutionary Court, the AP reported. Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency quoted Mousa Ghazanfarabadi as saying: “Obviously one of their charges can be Moharebeh,” or waging war against God, which is a death penalty offense in Iran. On Wednesday, tens of thousands of people marched in pro-government rallies called to counter the earlier demonstrations. The marches, broadcast by Iranian state media, had the hallmarks of previous state-organized gatherings, with crowds waving Iranians flags and holding placards with slogans backing Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, The Post's Erin Cunningham reported. Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, the head of the country’s powerful Revolutionary Guards, said the marches marked an end to the anti-government protests, which he referred to as “the sedition.” Much is still uncertain about the size and endurance of the protesters. Some analysts anticipate the collapse of the regime, though it is unclear whether leadership or political aspirations exist within the anti-government movement. Others have drawn parallels to the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/01/03/tens-of-thousands-of-people-protested-in-iran-this-week-heres-why/?utm_term=.1f902f8dd147 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amir Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 (edited) Problem is there's no figurehead to lead and unite people against the regime. There were people, especially Marxists/Leftists, who tried to overthrow the Shah for years and failed. It wasn't until Khomeini came along that the revolutionary spirit really got popular support, tapping into the religious sentiments of many in Iran who felt that the Shah was modernising/Westernising much too fast. A good example of this was the "2500 year celebration of the monarchy" in 1971 in Persepolis, Shiraz. The Shah had chefs flown over from France, avant-garde musicians such as John Cage, Karlheinz Stockhausen playing to foreign dignitaries, Orson Welles narrating the TV broadcast... and almost no Iranians in attendance: In Khomeini, many saw a return to their roots that they thought had been discarded by a man who was only in power because the CIA (under pressure from the British) had forced his Premier Mossadegh out when he tried to nationalise the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (which later became BP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d'état Unfortunately, many of those against the Shah, including those on the Left, realised too late what a terrible deal they had made with Khomeini and the religious right, and many of those who took to the streets in protest against the Pahlavi regime would do the same once the Ayatollahs took power, like these women protesting the decree that the wearing of the hijab would be mandatory: In 2009 they tried to have Mir-Hossein Mousavi be the new figurehead of a popular uprising, but he simply did not have Khomeini's charisma. It's hysterical seeing people think that Reza Pahlavi can fly over from California tomorrow and be the new leader of Iran, he has almost as little legitimacy to be the leader of Iran as I have Edited January 4, 2018 by Amir 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amir Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 On a side-note, my dissertation (which I handed in... Jesus, 6th January 2012, almost six years ago exactly ) was titled "To what extent was culture ‘Westoxicated’ during the reign of Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, and how was this a contributing factor towards revolutionary activity?": https://drive.google.com/open?id=1l76MGKZepmIx0qIVflmDx7kaN3b_MOvi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulMonster Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 1 hour ago, Amir said: Problem is there's no figurehead to lead and unite people against the regime. You can be that person, Amir. YOU. Now stand up and fight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amir Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 (edited) 14 minutes ago, SoulMonster said: You can be that person, Amir. YOU. Now stand up and fight! A foreign stooge like me is the last thing Iran needs But seriously, there is no single figure within Iran who is universally beloved/popular who could unite the people against the regime. Only thing that comes to mind is if a popular sports figure like footballer Ali Daei were to turn political Edited January 4, 2018 by Amir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulMonster Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 2 minutes ago, Amir said: A foreign stooge like me is the last thing Iran needs No, no, don't second guess yourself! You'd be great. You look the part. Foreign yet still Iranian. You can look at the country from afar and tell them what needs to be done. Yet you are one of them. Brownish. They will love you! Now go and fight the good fight! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgy Zhukov Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 The Iranian government needs to act fast if they want to avoid being overthrown by these millennials. They should encourage drinking and premarital sex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmenjello Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Only option is to overcome that fascist mullah regime. But thats not easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Nova Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 17 hours ago, Georgy Zhukov said: The Iranian government needs to act fast if they want to avoid being overthrown by these millennials. They should encourage drinking and premarital sex. Nah, Iran needs to get their freedom on. Get it, son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dontdamnmeuyi2015 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 The people of Iran want democracy. Unfortunately, the crazy tyrants that rule the country, don't. Some of these protestors have lost their lives. The US supports the people, but I doubt anything in Iran will change, but I guess there's always hope. Change comes with many obstacles and if people really want change they have to fight for it. I commend the people of Iran and I hope they achieve their goals. Freedom comes with cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soon Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Theres been so many huge shifts in Iran over the last few generations. These young people have, in some cases, been raised by communist or democratic revolutionaries. Under the Mullahs they have even developed underground make up (cosmetics) clubs. So many dissidents families have been torn apart over the generations, with some members fleeing the country. I know a family here in Canada where the father only was just recently able to resurface and join his family after 20+ years. First he had to leave them as a dissident artist, then prisoner, then underground, then made it here. The entire family has strong convictions as you can imagine and the children (my peers) have chosen careers in areas related to making a contribution back home. Here millennials will seemingly shell out any price for food stuffs, and not even tweet about it. Bread price fixing was recently uncovered here and no one cares. The fact that young people are able to see food prices as an injustice and act upon it should speak volumes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariLegend Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 9 minutes ago, dontdamnmeuyi2015 said: Freedom comes with cost. Maybe America can drop some bombs and help it like it helped Iraq and Syria? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Nova Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 2 hours ago, AtariLegend said: Maybe America can drop some bombs and help it like it helped Iraq and Syria? Syria? You confusing America with Russia? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgy Zhukov Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 On 1/5/2018 at 8:19 AM, Kasanova King said: Nah, Iran needs to get their freedom on. Get it, son. Iranians actually have more freedoms than their rival, Saudi Arabia. Women can at least drive there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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