International Media's Reflection on Iran Protests

Recent protests in various cities across Iran have elicited diverse reactions from international media. In the U.S., ABC News reported on the initial causes of these protests, stating: "There are differing opinions on how these protests began. Conservative sources like the Fars News Agency claim that the protesters are mainly people who have lost their money due to the corruption of the country's banking system. Conservatives blame this corruption on the relatively moderate government of President Hassan Rouhani. However, experts and officials, particularly those closer to Mr. Rouhani's government, such as Vice President Es'hagh Jahangiri, believe that the protests were initially organized by conservative forces to weaken Mr. Rouhani's government, but then other groups joined in." Several cities in Iran have recently witnessed protests against economic conditions and governance. Initially, on Thursday, protests against rising prices were held in cities like Mashhad, Nishapur, Shahrud, and Kashmar. However, protests continued on Friday and Saturday in other cities, spreading to Tehran, Ahvaz, Qom, Kashmar, Quchan, Dorud, Kermanshah, and other regions. CNN noted the direct protests against Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, stating: Some protesters directly addressed the leader of Iran, which is rare and was not seen much in the protests of the Green Movement. Another point highlighted by this network is the class difference among the participants in recent protests compared to the events following the 2009 elections. In the report, a witness in Tehran stated that "Iranians who have come out in desperation are participating in these protests, which is different from the protests of 2009." Al Jazeera quoted Adnan Tabatabai, one of the founders of the Applied Research Center in Germany, stating that the recent protests "are not political; rather, people are economically distressed." Fox News, supporting the message from President Donald Trump, stated that Iranian protesters "deserve" Mr. Trump's support. In an article published on the network's website by Kristen Witon, one of the White House advisors, it was noted: The Iranian regime always blames the U.S. for popular protests. However, in reality, freedom-seeking protesters secretly seek the support of the free world and the President of the United States... In fact, the moral support of the U.S. President can be very influential. On Friday, January 8, Donald Trump called on the Iranian government to respect the rights of the people, including the right to freedom of expression. In a message posted on his Twitter account, he wrote: Many reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens who are fed up with the regime's corruption and the waste of the country's wealth to finance terrorism abroad have been published. The Iranian government must respect the rights of the people, including the right to express their opinions. The world is watching. Bahram Qasemi, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, reacted to Trump's statements, describing them as "opportunistic and hypocritical." Mr. Qasemi stated that the people of Iran do not pay attention to these remarks. The Fox News writer believes that this is a golden opportunity for America to compensate for Barack Obama's "inaction" regarding support for "regime change" in Iran. Reuters and the Associated Press also dedicated their front-page reports to the protests in Iran on January 10, highlighting news of violence occurring there. The Associated Press noted that despite improvements in economic conditions following the agreement between Tehran and six world powers over the nuclear program, this economic improvement has not significantly benefited the general public in Iran; unemployment remains high, inflation has risen, and the prices of some necessities have increased significantly. Reuters also pointed to economic conditions and surrounding discontent, stating that some of these protests have taken on a political aspect, raising issues such as Iran's costly presence in Syria or Iraq. AFP has also covered reports and news related to the recent protests in Iran. The German news agency noted Trump's statements and the reaction from the Iranian Foreign Ministry, reminding that Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, has yet to respond to the protests and demonstrations. Like other international news agencies, the German agency pointed to the increase in political slogans, including "Not Gaza, Not Lebanon, My Life for Iran" and slogans regarding Iran's interference in Syria instead of addressing the citizens' conditions. The Turkish newspaper Sabah reported on the death of at least two protesters. The Al Arabiya television network published a report on the "failure of the first mobile operator" in some cities in Iran due to the role of the internet in the protests. The Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post stated that social media is filled with support for the protests in Iran.