Protests Continue in Iranian Cities; Interior Minister Warns

According to images and videos shared on social media, on Saturday, protesting students gathered in front of Tehran University chanting anti-government slogans. Various reports also indicate protests in cities such as Kermanshah, Shahinshahr in Isfahan, Ardabil, Gachsaran, Saveh, Shahr-e Kord, Abhar, Zanjan, Hamadan, and Malayer. Based on videos shared on social media, some protesters in Hamadan clashed with riot police, and protesters in Zanjan chanted 'We will die, we will fight, we will take back Iran.' According to ISNA news agency, Mohsen Mohammadian, the public relations manager of the metro operating company, stated on Saturday that two metro stations, City Theater and Enghelab Square in Tehran, 'currently do not accept passengers, and this will continue until the unrest ends.' As protests continue in several cities in Iran, including Tehran, the Interior Minister urged people not to participate in 'illegal gatherings' and to submit requests for gatherings to be 'reviewed.' Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, the Interior Minister, on Saturday, January 9, referred to calls on social media inviting people to protests, stating that 'these gatherings are definitely illegal.' He emphasized that the police and judiciary have attempted to 'manage' these gatherings to prevent 'illegal gatherings from becoming a concern.' The Iranian Interior Minister asked participants in these gatherings not to engage in such 'illegal gatherings as they create trouble for themselves and other citizens.' Rahmani Fazli added, 'Those who wish to hold a gathering must submit a request, and the Interior Ministry and provincial governors will review their requests.' His statements come as Iran's laws have complex conditions for issuing permits for gatherings or marches, and the Interior Ministry has only approved a few requests in recent years. According to laws and government resolutions regarding gatherings, any group requesting a gathering is 'obligated to provide a commitment to the Interior Ministry regarding the non-carrying of weapons and non-disruption of Islamic principles and security.' Groups requesting to hold gatherings or marches must also provide 'complete details of executive and security officials' to the Interior Ministry. The Iranian Interior Ministry has rarely issued permits for marches and gatherings in recent years, including rejecting requests from Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, leaders of the 2009 presidential election protests and their supporting parties. Following protests in several cities in Razavi Khorasan province and surrounding areas on Thursday, protests were also held on Friday, January 8, in several cities including Kermanshah, Rasht, Isfahan, Qom, Sari, Quchan, Qazvin, and Ahvaz, with some continuing after dark. Meanwhile, according to images and videos shared on social media, some protesters gathered in front of Tehran University on Saturday chanting anti-government slogans. In videos from this gathering, slogans such as 'Seyyed Ali, have some shame, leave the country,' 'Reformist, principlist, the story is over,' and 'Iranian with dignity, support support' can be heard. Additionally, according to the released videos, riot police are stationed in front of Tehran University, and security forces are present around the area. On the other hand, Fars News Agency reported, criticizing the protesters, that 'unlike other protests in various cities that were mostly against economic conditions and inflation, today's gathering had a more political flavor.' A member of parliament, Gholamali Jafarzadeh, stated that the message of these protests 'has been received from the parliament and the government, and there is no need for continued protests.' According to ILNA news agency, he added, 'People should no longer worry about inflation; the parliament has no plans to increase energy prices, and we promise that no needy will be overlooked in the subsidy targeting discussion.' His statements come amid protests in recent days not only against 'inflation' but also against the Islamic Republic government and calls for the release of political prisoners. In recent weeks, several social media users have also protested issues such as increased exit fees and the removal of subsidies, as well as the budget allocated to religious seminaries and similar institutions. Some figures opposing the Islamic Republic, including Reza Pahlavi, the former crown prince of Iran, and Maryam Rajavi, a senior leader of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization, have welcomed these protests. No political group in Iran officially called for participation in the protests on Thursday in cities of Razavi Khorasan province. However, Es’haq Jahangiri, the First Vice President of Iran, implicitly attributed the protests on Thursday in Mashhad to government opponents, stating that 'those who initiate street movements will not be the ones to end them.' Meanwhile, Hesameddin Ashna, an advisor to the president, implicitly accused supporters of former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of organizing these protests, writing that 'conspiracy and deceit gangs have proven at least twice that they can deceive the masses.' He emphasized, 'Years ago, the necessity of eliminating dangerous seditions and extinguishing the fire that is now visible in the air was discussed; however, those seditions were rooted not only in the electoral process but also in Ahmadinejad's project.' Several Friday prayer leaders in Iran have deemed the protests against inflation as 'justified,' while also labeling the protesters on Thursday in several cities of Razavi Khorasan province as 'American, Israeli, and anti-Islam' and calling the gathering 'under the pretext of inflation' a 'new plot by the enemies to overthrow the regime.' Meanwhile, Hossein Shariatmadari, representative of the Supreme Leader in Kayhan newspaper, also called 'creating dissatisfaction among the people through livelihood issues a new sedition of the seditionists,' adding, 'In recent days, protest movements have emerged in some cities whose slogans smell of sedition.' In contrast to these statements, some reformist figures, including Mahmoud Sadqi, a member of parliament, have emphasized that these protests are 'a protest against the disarray and shortcomings in the overall management and governance of the country over different periods' and 'instead of trying to extinguish and politicize it, we should listen to the people's voice and find solutions for it.'