Es'hagh Jahangiri Expresses Concern Over Rising Hatred and Violence in Society

The First Vice President of Iran expressed concern over the increase of "hatred and violence" in society, calling the "disheartening" of the people an "unforgivable sin" and stating that "if the negligence and shortcomings of managers have caused the people's distress, we must seek forgiveness." According to ILNA news agency, Es'hagh Jahangiri said on Saturday evening, February 26, at the Supreme Administrative Council of Fars Province, that "if the negligence and shortcomings of managers have caused the people's distress, we must seek forgiveness." He added: "What we should be worried about is that instead of criticism and feedback, hatred and violence increase in society, as this endangers the future of the country." The First Vice President emphasized that in these circumstances, anyone who disheartens the people regarding the future of the country has committed an unforgivable sin and must seek forgiveness. He stressed: "Hatred and violence arise when the country has fears about its future. Although there are many challenges from water scarcity, unemployment, dust storms, air pollution to issues related to pension funds, we can solve these problems together." Jahangiri had previously implicitly accused the government's opponents of organizing the protests on January 7 in Mashhad, stating that "those who are the cause of these issues in the country will suffer the consequences themselves; they think they are harming the government by doing this." The Union of the Nation Party, a reformist party, also spoke of the role of Ebrahim Raisi, the custodian of the Astan Quds Razavi, and Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday prayer leader of Mashhad, in organizing these gatherings in Mashhad. However, Ayatollah Alamolhoda denied this accusation. During the protests in January, demonstrators in over 100 cities shouted slogans against the leader and other officials of the Islamic Republic, with some calling for a change in the Islamic Republic system. According to Iranian news agencies, Mr. Jahangiri also stated in his remarks that "no one and no group that has been with the system can be isolated." He added: "The era of isolation has passed, and we must engage in dialogue, dialogue between political factions and national dialogue among ethnic groups." Hours after the publication of these remarks, however, Iranian news agencies replaced the term "isolation" with "removal." Nevertheless, the Etemad Online website used the term isolation in its report. The removal of house arrest for Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi was one of the main demands in the presidential elections of 2013 and 2017, which were raised in the election rallies of Hassan Rouhani, who also made promises, explicitly or implicitly, regarding the removal of house arrest. During the four years of Mr. Rouhani's first government, not only was there no significant action taken to fulfill this promise, but during his second presidential term, restrictions against Mohammad Khatami, the former president of Iran, were also increased. During this time, only a few political activists were allowed to meet with Mr. Karroubi. Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, and Zahra Rahnavard have been under house arrest without trial since February 2011. Their requests to appear in public court have not been accepted so far, and hardline military and clerical figures have threatened them with severe sentences, including execution. In this context, Rouhani's second reaction to the gatherings: this small minority gathers well. Rouhani criticized the "exaggeration of short-term weaknesses and problems." The First Vice President regarding the Mashhad protests stated: economic issues are an excuse. Changing the battlefield of "proxy forces"; war against the people in the streets of Iran. The crisis in Iran; the responsibility of the opponents and the possibility of radicalizing Iranian society. The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iranian crisis. Internet shutdown in Iran has exceeded 300 hours; reports of "evidence" of the killing of injured patients under treatment. Accounts from three witnesses about the situation in Isfahan Province; "like war-torn areas." The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iranian crisis. Trump emphasized the "halt of executions in Iran": we do not know what will happen in the future. Trump announced an agreement to hold a meeting about Greenland in Davos.