Iran's Judiciary Chief: Events of 2009 Could Happen Again

The head of the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran states that due to the "cooperation"—whether intentional or unintentional—of some with the "enemy," the events of 2009 in Iran are "repeatable." Sadegh Larijani made this statement one day after the anniversary of the government demonstrations on December 30, reacting to protests regarding the results of the 2009 presidential election, during a meeting of senior judicial officials. He noted that the events of 2009, referred to in the government’s rhetoric as "sedition," "are not merely historical but should be analyzed within a continuous and permanent context. The sedition of 2009 is repeatable." Larijani's argument for the "repeatability" of these events is based on the assertion that "today the enemy has also entered the field, using internal tools of the country, some are deceived or intentionally cooperate with the enemy, thus the capacity for such events to recur still exists." His remarks can be seen as a continuation of warnings from the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic and other high-ranking military and civilian officials about the potential for events in 2019, attributed to the so-called "enemy." On Sunday, Ali Mohammad Naeini, an advisor to the commander of the IRGC, warned about "tensions" in the upcoming Persian year due to the parliamentary elections and labor protests in Iran. He stated that "enemies" are focusing on "economic pressures in the labor and occupational sectors." Reports from Iranian news agencies indicate that the head of the judiciary has also stated that "today, compared to the past, the enemy has more diverse and greater tools and is incurring higher costs." Larijani expressed concern that "today some within the country are repeating the same past mistakes and giving the enemy hope for realizing its dreams," urging workers and students to be cautious and not become "the ladder of the enemy." Officials of the Islamic Republic generally have a security-oriented view of occupational movements and respond severely to any spontaneous occupational actions, especially those with a protest aspect. They are particularly sensitive to the activities of workers, teachers, and students, and have been arresting, prosecuting, and imprisoning activists from these three groups for years. Larijani's warnings come after extensive protests by workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company, Ahvaz Steel, and recent student protests at the University of Science and Research due to the overturning of a bus belonging to the university, resulting in the deaths of 10 students. Today, following a call on social media, despite a severe security atmosphere, a protest gathering was held on Enghelab Street near Tehran University, which Iranian Interior Ministry officials labeled as "illegal." For the first time after the labor protests in the winter of 2018, the Supreme Leader accused "enemies" of trying to create a "stagnation, a limpness among workers or forcing them to do so." Khamenei, without referring to the occupational movements of workers in various regions of Iran protesting against unpaid wages and insurance rights for extended periods, layoffs, or wages below the poverty line, and the security and judicial actions against labor activists and organizations in recent years, added that "workers have always resisted, have always stood firm, and have always rejected the enemy's hand with insight."