Alborz Governor's Warning: We Will Deal with Protest Gatherings

As reports indicate the continuation of protests in various parts of Iran, including Alborz province, an official from the Alborz governor's office has attributed these protests to the incitement of "monarchists and hypocrites" and stated that they will confront the protesters. According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), Kheirollah Tarkhani, the head of the political-security deputy of the Alborz governor, mentioned on Saturday, August 13, regarding the gatherings in Karaj: "During this time, we tried to tolerate these gatherings and listen to their demands, but we found that these demands are not economic and are completely subversive." He noted that the unrest in Karaj began after the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and added: "However, based on recent observations, the majority of those participating in these unrests do not have economic concerns. The youth involved in these events have been incited by the calls of opposing groups such as monarchists and hypocrites, and these groups intend to exploit the riots and draw ordinary people into the streets for political gain." Protests in Iran began last Tuesday in response to the dire economic situation, but in recent days, the main slogans of the protesters have been against the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, the government, and the clergy. Videos circulated on social media indicate the continuation of demonstrations and gatherings in Tehran, Fars, Qom, and Alborz provinces on Saturday night, August 13. According to these images, protests in Alborz were ongoing in Karaj and Eshtehard. In this context, the head of the religious seminary in Eshtehard reported an attack by a group of participants in the protest gathering on a religious school on the evening of Friday, August 12, claiming that the police had "arrested" some of them. The head of the political-security deputy of the Alborz governor stated regarding the recent protests that "these groups aim to encourage society with a few videos and the gathering of a few youths to draw ordinary people into the scene," but according to him, so far, people have maintained their distance from the "rioters." He further described the gatherings as "temporary and sporadic" and added: "The small and scattered gatherings that have formed during this time are not the result of the economic demands of the people but are due to the exploitation by certain groups, and they will definitely be dealt with in the future." On Thursday, August 11, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, the Minister of Interior, also reacted to these protests by stating that "enemies" are trying to create social tension, but the situation cannot be disrupted by a gathering of 200 people. The Minister of Interior's remarks were among the first official reactions of the Islamic Republic government officials to the new wave of protest demonstrations in various cities. Previously, protests had taken place in about 100 cities in Iran last December.