Supriya Pundir Ongoing protests in Iran led to a total internet shutdown today. The tensions escalated after a call of mass protest by exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, which has claimed around 44 lives and detention of several protestors. Although the history of protests against the government is not new for any country, it’s a lesson that one needs to understand. The cause of frequent protests in Iran are those deep rooted issues of economic hardship and dissatisfaction that have now fueled the public anger. But instead of working on it, the Iran government takes an easy way out each time, side-eyeing the root cause.
What is the protest in Iran about?
The mass protests in Iran started in December last year against the ruling Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s government. But for the last few days, it has been engulfed with violence, leading to a total internet shutdown today. The ongoing protests ignited due to worsening of Iran’s economy, rial’s rapid fall out, high prices of basic needs due to high inflation, along with unemployment. This all combined fueled the public anger, leading to expansion of protests to 110 cities and villages too.
History of slogans and protests in Iran:
Some slogan chants like “Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, I sacrifice my life for Iran” have been resurfaced during these ongoing protests. This slogan has a historical importance, as it was first echoed in 2009 during the Green movement too. That movement was against the disputed presidential election in Iran which led to the arrest of thousands of protestors. Since then, it has appeared in numerous major protests, from the 2017-18 economic protests to the 2019 protests in Iran against fuel price increases. It gained traction during the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement in 2022. This movement started due to the death of an Iranian-Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, who was detained by Iran’s morality police for not wearing a “proper” hijab.
The USA meddling in Iran’s internal protests:
Meanwhile, Tehran was cautioned by US President Donald Trump not to use excessive force against the protesters. In a statement released on Thursday, Trump said that the United States will react “very strongly” if Iranian authorities kill protesters.
Khamenei tells Trump to concentrate on the issues facing his own nation
In a defiant response to the threats made by US President Donald Trump, Khamenei likened Trump to past leaders who were overthrown at the pinnacle of their authority. “The arrogant people of the world, such as Pharaoh, Nimrod, Reza Khan, and Mohammad Reza, were overthrown at the height of their arrogance; he too will be overthrown,” Khamenei said.
What Iran’s future holds now?
You must have heard of the phrase “when elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers”. This is what’s happening with the people of Iran. See what Iran has been doing since the 1980s like funding US $700 million and $1 billion annually to regional allies and supporting Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza is now biting Iran back. And the USA who has been putting on another deceiving mask of “We will not tolerate this” has been pushing and poking Iran for decades by putting sanctions, diplomatic isolation and the pressure on the ruling governments.
You need to understand two things here:
- Making allies should be one’s own choice. But religion is not the only support one should depend upon. Afterall, it’s the people irrespective of religion or culture who make a country.
- Putting sanctions and pressure is wrong by the USA. They shouldn’t be the one to make the rules for all of the countries in the WORLD.
Yes, Iran is on the wrong side of history for supporting anti-peace elements of the world and there is no doubt about that. But what the USA has been doing for decades and now making it look like Iran’s government fault is not good as well because at last, it’s the citizens of Iran who are facing the consequences. This is why there has been so many number of protests in Iran against the governments.
The Iranian government should think about strengthening ties with the rest of the world and within its people based on actual issues and not just ideology. That will help them not only in making better and stronger allies but also help them fight against sanctions made by the USA. The powerful can win a fight 100/100 times but the smarter one wins outside the battleground.
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The ongoing protests in Iran primarily stem from widespread dissatisfaction with the government’s policies, economic hardships, and social restrictions. They were significantly ignited by the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being detained by the morality police, which sparked a national outcry for women’s rights and broader freedoms.
The main demands of the protesters include calls for greater personal freedoms, the rights of women, an end to government oppression, and economic reforms. Many are also demanding accountability for human rights violations and an end to the Islamic Republic system.
The authorities in Iran have responded to the protests with significant force, including the use of tear gas, water cannons, and live ammunition in some instances. They have also implemented internet restrictions to curb the spread of information and organized protests.
While the protests initially started in larger cities like Tehran, they have spread to various regions and smaller towns across Iran. All of this indicating a widespread discontent among diverse populations throughout the country.
Gagan Bharti 
