Advisor to Rouhani: The Potential for Urban Protests Still Exists

The advisor to the President of Iran states that the potential for urban protests still exists, as the underlying causes have not been resolved. Hossein Alizadeh, in an interview with ISNA news agency, which was published on Friday, January 21, said that the economic grounds for the protests in December last year were similar to those of the 1990s, but the social grounds for the protests in 2017 were different and 'much deeper.' In the 1990s, urban riots occurred in Mashhad, Qazvin, and Islamshahr, where many protesters were killed by security forces, and several detainees were executed. Previously, government officials had warned about the possibility of a recurrence of nationwide protests in December, including Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, the Minister of Interior, who stated that the factors of dissatisfaction have not been eliminated and 'a spark is enough to ignite.' Alizadeh also mentioned that the goal of the December protests was 'the overthrow of the government,' but it later became clear that 'weakening the government and the system is a path.' He emphasized: 'Some thought they could weaken the government without undermining the system, but the experience of the December protests showed that weakening the government and the system is a path.' Alizadeh stated: 'If there was a plan for these protests, it was the overthrow of the government, and if there was none, the system could have collapsed.' Previously, some government officials and the Unity Party, from reformist parties, had accused Ebrahim Raisi and Ahmad Alamolhoda of organizing the protests that began in Mashhad in 2017. In the December protests, slogans in support of the Pahlavi family and against the Islamic Revolution of February 1979 were chanted in some cities, especially in Qom and Mashhad. Another major slogan in these protests warned both major factions of the Iranian government that 'Reformist or Principlist / the story is over.' Meanwhile, Hossein Zolfaqari, the Deputy Minister of Security, acknowledged at the time that the December protests 'crossed all political currents in the country.' In recent months, campaigns titled 'I will overthrow' have emerged on social media. Meanwhile, Abolfazl Ghadiani, a senior member of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization, stated on July 16 that the 'solution' to Iran's problems is the removal of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, addressing reformists who 'seek to reform matters while maintaining a corrupt and defective structure,' stating that they 'are either not reformists at all or are only nurturing impossible dreams.' The December 2017 protests quickly spread and encompassed over 100 cities in Iran. However, Alizadeh stated that the Ministry of Intelligence had 'information and analysis' about the potential formation of these protests and thus was able to 'manage' them and prevent their expansion. The advisor to the President of Iran also considered the approach to these gatherings to be 'more mature' than all similar cases in the history of the Islamic Republic, including in 2009. Alizadeh emphasized: 'There was readiness to deal with these protests much more severely than the protests of 2009, but one person stood up and took responsibility.' He mentioned that there were regulations for a harsher response to these protests 'in existence.' Previously, some government-affiliated websites had claimed that Hassan Rouhani opposed the Supreme National Security Council's regulations for a harsher crackdown on protesters. Alizadeh's claims come at a time when, according to official sources, 25 people were killed by security forces within less than a week during these protests. Additionally, about 10 detainees died in prison, and their deaths remain ambiguous. According to official statistics, around five thousand people were arrested during the December protests in Iran, including over 400 in Tehran. In this context, the December protest movement: the third voice, results of an ISPA poll: 75% of the surveyed population is dissatisfied with the current situation in the country. Leila Hatami: It is shameful that people can only protest at the cost of their lives. Acknowledgment from the Ministry of Interior: The December protests crossed all political currents in the country. An assistant to Rouhani regarding public protests: If we continue like this, we will be in danger. Severe government repression and the risk of protests becoming 'underground.' What doctors and eyewitnesses recount about the injured in the protests. The limitations of relations between China and Iran have become apparent amid the protests.