Protests in Iran; 'Anger Has Not Subsided'

A 19-year-old street protester from Tabriz tells Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that although the wave of recent protests in Iran has subsided, the intensity of the people's anger remains. Hadi, the son of a simple worker who wished to remain unnamed, states that the government cannot do anything to force people to suppress their anger and resentment. The report mentions that Tabriz was one of 90 cities and towns in Iran where recent protests took place. These protests began in Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city, with slogans against rising prices and spread nationwide with slogans against the entire regime. So far, the deaths of at least 22 people have been confirmed, and thousands have been arrested, with the deaths of at least three of them in prison confirmed. The protests have subsided over the past week due to serious warnings and widespread repression of the people, as well as the blocking of social media and reduced internet speeds. Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and other officials have accused 'enemies' of 'creating chaos' in Iran, but President Hassan Rouhani has a different view. While he acknowledges foreign influence, he states that the people have economic, political, and security expectations and are entitled to them. He claims that the government hears and considers their demands. Hadi states that 'such tactics have lost their effectiveness' and that ultimately, statements and actions like reducing the prices of some goods can only silence the people in the short term; 'they may reduce the price of eggs and think they have fooled the people. But now the people are awake.' He mentions his acceptance into Azad University and states that he cannot afford the tuition. Hadi recalls that his father quoted Ayatollah Khomeini saying that even water would be free for the people, and revolutionaries promised free housing, while after forty years, people cannot even manage their daily lives. Hadi expresses that he and others took to the streets in a country where officials 'bully' the people to protest against rising prices, poverty, and pressures. The report adds that the recent protests are the largest manifestation of public discontent since 2009, when people protested against the presidential election results. The report from Radio Free Europe states that in the recent protests, most of the demonstrators, who were young, hoped that the nuclear agreement would impact their living conditions. A journalist in Tehran, who wished to remain unnamed, tells Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that 'angry youth' have lost hope in both reformists and conservatives and have no hope for the future. He, having witnessed several street protests in Tehran, states that young people have nothing to lose: these protests quickly turned against the entire regime, and people demanded an 'Iranian Republic' instead of an 'Islamic Republic.' Many people also shouted slogans against Iran's intervention in the Middle East, including support for Bashar al-Assad in Syria or Palestinian militants and Hezbollah in Lebanon. They demanded that the country's financial resources be used for the people of Iran. Hadi questions, 'Where in the world does a government spend its country's financial resources on another country? Assad supports Iran because he spends Iran's money in Syria.' He criticizes Rouhani for abandoning his electoral promises to improve social and economic conditions, stating that the president should act instead of just talking. However, Hadi's sharpest criticisms are directed at Khamenei, who 'as the leader of the regime, has the final word and is responsible for the country's situation, including the economy and financial corruption.' The report adds that people protested against Khamenei with slogans such as 'Death to the Dictator' and 'Death to Khamenei.' The Revolutionary Guards stated last week that 'the people and security forces ended the riots initiated by enemies.' Ali Afshari, a student activist who was arrested years ago for protests and tortured in Iranian prisons, tells Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that more protests are likely in the future. Afshari states that 'a segment of society that participated in the recent protests was completely different from past protesters. These protesters took to the streets due to their basic needs, and the Islamic Republic has not addressed their needs since its establishment.' He, now residing in the United States, adds that the recent protests are a 'turning point' in contemporary Iranian history, and their geopolitical scope is unprecedented in contemporary Iranian history. Hadi also states that his and the people's anger cannot be suppressed.