Response to the IRGC's Special Patrol Plan in Tehran; Ministry of Interior: Police Did Not Request Assistance

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior reacted to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) plan in Tehran to launch patrols for 'preventing theft and combating thugs,' stating that this matter falls under the responsibilities of the police force, which has not requested assistance or participation from any organization. Salman Samani said in an interview with ILNA news agency on Tuesday, December 20, that 'combating moral corruption,' including 'dealing with thugs and fighting theft,' is among the duties of the police according to the law and the resolutions of the National Social Council. He emphasized that the Tehran police have not requested help or participation from any agency to combat this issue. In recent years, the police have taken action to gather individuals they label as 'thugs.' Mohammad Reza Yazdi, the commander of the IRGC in Tehran Province, announced on Sunday, December 19, that 'social earthquakes' are occurring in Tehran and that this organization will soon launch 'special patrols' to 'prevent theft and combat thugs.' While the commander of the IRGC stated that the purpose of these patrols is 'preventing theft' and combating 'thugs,' reports indicate that previous plans with this name were aimed at preparing for potential street protests. For instance, Mustafa Ahmadinejad, the former police chief, acknowledged in an interview in 2015 that this force had implemented plans under the guise of combating 'thugs' and 'security and tranquility' a year before the 2009 presidential election to counter potential protests. Meanwhile, Gholam Hossein Ghaib Parvar, head of the Basij Organization, announced on November 24 the plan to establish 'neighborhood patrols.' The newspaper Etemad compared the formation of Basij neighborhood patrols in its November 25 issue to the activities of the Revolutionary Committees in the early years of the 1979 revolution and the 1980s. The Revolutionary Committees in the 1980s dealt with issues such as the distribution of music tapes, video films, home parties, and political opponents of the Islamic Republic. The Ministry of Interior spokesperson also mentioned on Tuesday that the sensitivity of this ministry for 'combating social harms' has been such that meetings of the National Social Council have been held with the presence of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. According to Mr. Samani, the responsibilities of all agencies in this regard have been specified, and 'in each period, we assess and announce the actions taken by each agency and their effectiveness in combating social harms.' The social harms referred to in Iran mainly include addiction, poverty, marginalization, school dropouts, divorce, and increased crime rates. Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, the Minister of Interior, mentioned on September 30 that a meeting was held with the Supreme Leader last year regarding social harms and that a 'suitable report' was prepared about the actions taken, adding that 'there is still a long way to go.' He also stated last year that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had said in a meeting that the Islamic Republic is '20 years' behind in reducing and addressing social harms. The Minister of Interior also reported that the Supreme Leader has identified priorities for reducing social harms. According to Mr. Rahmani Fazli, 'combating drug trafficking, addressing addiction issues, marginalization, divorce, fighting delinquency, and issues related to specific and critical cases' are the priorities set by the Supreme Leader. Based on statistics published in the media and comments from Islamic Republic officials or experts, social issues in Iran have been described as concerning in recent decades.