Anniversary of Mahsa; British Entrepreneur: The 'Mullahs' Know Well That the 'Protest Movement' Will Not Retreat

Richard Branson, the British businessman and founder of the Virgin Group, wrote in an article on Saturday, September 16, that the Islamic Republic did not realize that the killing of Mahsa would lead to the 'largest wave of protests' since 1979. According to him, the issue is no longer 'whether' the Islamic Republic will collapse, but 'when' it will collapse. Branson added that the 'mullahs' know well that the 'protest movement' will not retreat, and with continued repression, the number of protests will increase. He emphasized that the Islamic Republic has lost an entire generation of Iranians, and now the countdown has begun. On Tuesday, July 18, Branson also considered the existence of the 'morality police' to be an unacceptable violation of women's lives and rights, stating in a post on X: 'Ten months after the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody and the escalation of protests across Iran, the regime's morality police (which is anything but a promoter of morality) is patrolling the streets again to arrest unveiled women; this action is an unacceptable violation of women's lives and rights.' Javid Rahman stated on the anniversary of Mahsa to Voice of America that Iran has gone through a disastrous year. On the anniversary of Mahsa, the White House announced that more sanctions against Islamic Republic officials are on the way. The U.S. Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations stated that Mahsa Amini inspired a movement that continues. On the anniversary of Mahsa, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State said that the Islamic Republic has not learned from the protests. The President of the United States issued a statement on the anniversary of Mahsa, reaffirming commitment to stand with the people of Iran.