Analysis by PMOI/MEK
Iran, June 26, 2018 – If your heart beats for a free Iran, or if you at least support the establishment of a free and democratic rule in this country based on the people’s vote, then you should be delighted to witness the new wave of protests in numerous cities across the country, and especially engulfing Tehran, since Sunday.
Monday we witnessed the largest protests in Tehran since 2012 as the capital’s famous Grand Bazaar saw storeowners closing their shops and launching a general strike. Demonstrators took to the streets in various parts of the capital, mainly heading to the parliament and voicing their protests to the regime’s officials regarding their incompetence.
The cities of Mashhad, Shiraz, Tabriz, Kermanshah, Shahriar saw shops close and protesters pour into the streets in solidarity with Tehran.
Following the Kazerun uprising that raised many eyebrows among regime officials, and the nationwide truckers’ strike that spread to nearly 300 cities and towns, this latest development in Tehran is a reminder of how the Dec/Jan uprising that shook the very pillars of the ruling regime lives on. There may be ups and downs, yet it is now proven the Iranian people are determined to achieve their objective of regime change.
Videos going viral on social media showed protesters chanting:
- “Marg bar diktator!” (“Death to the dictator!”)
- “Death to Khamenei!”
- “Death to Rouhani!”
- “Leave Syria alone. Think of us instead!”
- “Our enemy is right here, they lie when they say it’s America!”
- “Beware of the day we pick up arms!”
- “We will fight, we will die, we will take back our Iran!”
- “We will fight, we will die, we will not accept humiliation!”
Even shopkeepers who at first resisted closing their stores were called “Cowards” by the thousands of protesters marching throughout the capital. In many of Tehran’s streets, authorities dispatched riot police to quell the protesters using batons and tear gas. Plainclothes and intelligence agents were seen attacking protesters and taking images from on the ground and rooftops to identify and later arrest the demonstrators.
These efforts were futile as protesters in many scenes courageously rushed towards riot police, forcing them to leave behind a number of motorcycles. The protesters were seen setting fire to these motorcycles, trash canisters, and even police trailers.
Despite the fact that the regime has supposedly designated four stadiums and six parks as places of legal protest – read sites to besiege, picture, identify and then arrest protesters and activists – Iran’s demonstrators are showing they could care less about such measures and consider it an insult to listen to the authorities.
It’s a fact that Iran’s currency, the rial has lost more than half of its value recently, plunging to around 90,000 rials for each U.S. dollar. All the while, despite a first glance, may describe these protests as seeking economic objectives, as seen in the chants stated above, the demonstrations quickly gained a political goal.
People are even describing Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s call on people to not travel abroad and refrain from taking foreign currency out of the country as a sign of regime-associated figures fleeing the country and billions being placed in foreign banks as senior officials are concerned about the regime’s future.
For those interested in seeing a free Iran and supporting the people’s struggle in this regard, these developments should come as great news and a significant turning point.
It is worth noting that bazaar merchants played an influential role in the 1979 revolution. It is also quite interesting how this uproar in protests comes only days before the Iranian opposition’s #FreeIran2018 convention near Paris.
Visit this website for more information about the upcoming Iranian opposition convention.
