Sadegh Larijani: Protests in France are a Continuation of the Islamic Awakening Wave

In response to the recent protests in France, the head of Iran's judiciary referred to these protests as a continuation of the "Islamic Awakening wave" as predicted by Ayatollah Khamenei. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also urged French officials to listen to the protesters' demands. Sadegh Amoli Larijani, the head of Iran's judiciary, stated on Monday, December 10, that the Supreme Leader had predicted years ago that the "Islamic Awakening wave would not remain confined to Islamic countries and would spread to Europe as well." According to the Mizan news agency, during a meeting of senior judicial officials, he referred to statements made by the Supreme Leader several years ago, saying: "We see that the prediction of the Supreme Leader is coming true, and the inevitable fate of the injustice stemming from unbridled capitalism is protests that will catch the supporters of oppression against the underprivileged." It is unclear which specific statement by the Supreme Leader Larijani was referring to, but Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had previously stated during the Occupy Wall Street protests in 2011 that: "That socialist one went to hell, this one is gradually flowing down. After this incident, interest in Islam will increase." However, a few months later, during the Arab Spring protests, Khamenei expressed a different view, supporting unrest in some Arab countries but not mentioning the protests in Syria, after which the Islamic Republic sent forces to Syria to assist Bashar al-Assad's government in suppressing opponents. While Larijani attributed the protests in France to a "continuation of the Islamic Awakening wave," the main supporters of these protests have been secular leftists and far-right extremists, who are the most prominent critics of immigration policies and the entry of Muslims into France. In his remarks on Monday, Larijani also advised European leaders to "exercise restraint in dealing with the people" and noted that during the protests in Iran last December, "the officials of these same Western countries, including France, raised a clamor and constantly expressed concern." During the December protests that swept over a hundred cities in Iran, protesters chanted slogans such as: "Reformist, principlist / the story is over" and "May the spirit of Reza Shah be blessed." Over twenty people were killed during those protests, and thousands were arrested, some of whom received long prison sentences. Recently, student guild councils issued a statement on the occasion of "Student Day," announcing that over 300 students had been arrested in the past year due to their participation in these protests, with sentences for students totaling over a hundred years in prison. Other former officials of the Islamic Republic have also reacted to the recent protests in France. In the latest instance, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former president of Iran, addressed French officials, saying: listen to the people's demands. Ahmadinejad, who was in office during the 2009 protests, tweeted in English on Sunday: "Isn't the main goal of a government to meet the demands of its citizens? These protesters are those citizens. Listen to their demands and fulfill them in the best possible way." Bahram Qasemi, the spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, also urged the French police to "exercise restraint" against the protesters. Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council, stated last week: "The people of France want an identity independent of Europe. If this identity is not restored, France will separate from Europe in the next ten years." Meanwhile, on Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry warned Iranian citizens traveling to France to remain "vigilant" and to "avoid being present in areas and places of conflict." The protesters known as the "Yellow Vests" began gatherings four weeks ago initially to protest the increase in fuel taxes, but gradually their demands expanded, with many calling for the resignation of Emmanuel Macron, the President of France. In recent weeks, thousands have been temporarily arrested, and an elderly man also died during the protests after being struck by a vehicle.