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Scattered Protests Erupt in Iran Over Economic Woes Scattered Protests Erupt in Iran Over Economic Woes
(35 minutes later)
Protests over the Iranian government’s handling of the economy spread to several cities on Friday, including Tehran, according to Iranian officials, in what appeared to be a sign of unrest. Protests over the Iranian government’s handling of the economy spread to several cities on Friday, including Tehran, in what appeared to be a sign of unrest.
President Hassan Rouhani began his second term in August after winning re-election on promises to revitalize an economy hurt by sanctions. Although foreign investment is rising, the country continues to survive mainly on oil sales. Youth unemployment stands at more than 40 percent, sluggish state-owned enterprises control significant sectors of the economy, and American sanctions prevent most international banks from providing financing or credit to Iran.President Hassan Rouhani began his second term in August after winning re-election on promises to revitalize an economy hurt by sanctions. Although foreign investment is rising, the country continues to survive mainly on oil sales. Youth unemployment stands at more than 40 percent, sluggish state-owned enterprises control significant sectors of the economy, and American sanctions prevent most international banks from providing financing or credit to Iran.
The protests began on Thursday in Mashhad, a city of two million in the country’s northeast, where hundreds gathered to denounce recent price increases and the moribund state of the economy more generally, according to Iranian news agencies. It was difficult to judge the size of the demonstrations and whether they were organized, and if so, by whom. Many of the international sanctions against Iran were lifted under the 2015 accord on Iran’s nuclear program. But unilateral American sanctions on doing financial transactions with Iran remain in place, and the cumulative effect of sanctions has been severe. Mr. Rouhani, who heralded the agreement as a fresh start, has faced criticism for not doing enough to jump-start the economy.
The city of Mashhad, which is relatively prosperous, is dominated by hard-liners, including supporters of Ibrahim Raesi, who lost to Mr. Rouhani in the May elections. The protests began on Thursday in Mashhad, a city of two million in the country’s northeast, where hundreds gathered to denounce recent price increases and the moribund state of the economy more generally, according to Iranian news agencies. Some of them shouted “Death to Rouhani.”
Mr. Raesi has pressed the plight of the poor, a cause picked up by hard-liners who say that Mr. Rouhani’s government has failed to address rising inequality. Iran’s economy is widely seen as having been mismanaged for much of the time since the 1979 Islamic revolution. It was difficult to judge the size of the demonstrations and whether they were organized, and if so, by whom.
A new budget presented by the government this month was widely debated on Telegram, Iran’s most used social media outlet. Many people were upset over appropriations for religious and revolutionary institutions while other areas of the budget were cut. An unpopular “exit tax” that Iranians pay whenever they travel outside the country was increased, and millions of dollars were cut from a modest, but popular, subsidy plan. Relatively prosperous, Mashhad is dominated by hard-liners, including supporters of Ibrahim Raesi, who lost to Mr. Rouhani in the May elections. Mr. Raesi has pressed the plight of the poor, a cause picked up by hard-liners who say that Mr. Rouhani’s government has failed to address rising inequality.
At the same time, the government has allowed foreign currency to rise over the past half year, a psychological blow that resulted in inflation of certain products like a 40 percent increase in the price of eggs. A new budget presented by the government this month was widely debated on Telegram, Iran’s most used social media outlet. Many people were upset over appropriations for religious and revolutionary institutions while other areas of the budget were cut. An unpopular “exit tax” that Iranians pay whenever they travel outside the country was increased, and millions of dollars were cut from a modest but popular subsidy plan for the poor.
Protests over economic conditions are not uncommon in Iran. They usually take place in front of Parliament in Tehran, and in smaller cities it is not uncommon to see protests by people who have lost their savings in bank failures, or retirees who can’t make ends meet. What seems distinctive about the protests this week is how quickly news about them spread on social media, and was in turn picked up by foreign-based satellite channels. At the same time, the government has allowed Iran’s currency to depreciate over the past half year, a psychological blow that resulted in inflation of certain products like a 40 percent increase in the price of eggs.
The semiofficial Iranian Labor News Agency quoted Mohsen Nasj-Hamedani, Tehran’s deputy governor-general for security affairs, as saying that “a number of protesters” had been arrested in the capital on Friday after “an illegal call” for a rally on social media platforms. About 50 people showed up for the rally, he said. Protests over economic conditions are not uncommon in Iran. They usually take place in front of Parliament in Tehran, and in smaller cities it is not uncommon to see protests by people who have lost their savings in bank failures, or retirees who can’t make ends meet. What seems distinctive about the protests this week is how quickly news about them spread on social media and was in turn picked up by foreign-based satellite channels.
The semiofficial Iranian Labor News Agency quoted Mohsen Nasj-Hamedani, Tehran’s deputy governor-general for security affairs, as saying that “a number of protesters” had been arrested in the capital on Friday after “an illegal call” for a rally on social media platforms. He said about 50 people had showed up for the rally.
“A number of them left after being warned by police. A few others, however, remained despite being warned to leave,” the news service quoted him as saying, and “a number of them were detained after arrest warrants were issued.”“A number of them left after being warned by police. A few others, however, remained despite being warned to leave,” the news service quoted him as saying, and “a number of them were detained after arrest warrants were issued.”
The Tasnim news agency quoted Mr. Hamedani as saying that no protest permits had been issued for Tehran and warning that “such gatherings will be firmly dealt with by the police.”The Tasnim news agency quoted Mr. Hamedani as saying that no protest permits had been issued for Tehran and warning that “such gatherings will be firmly dealt with by the police.”
Hard-liners, including Mr. Hamedani, castigated the protesters, warning that Iran’s enemies would take advantage of any sign of dissent.Hard-liners, including Mr. Hamedani, castigated the protesters, warning that Iran’s enemies would take advantage of any sign of dissent.
One hard-line religious leader, Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, said that a protest in the northeastern city of Sabzevar had been disrupted when “all of a sudden, a small group of roughly 50 people among the crowd started to chant norm-braking slogans such as ‘Forget Palestine’ or ‘No to Gaza, No to Lebanon, I will give my life for Iran.’” (Government-approved protests routinely invoke the Iranian government’s self-designated role as a defender of Palestinian aspirations and as a foe of the United States.)One hard-line religious leader, Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, said that a protest in the northeastern city of Sabzevar had been disrupted when “all of a sudden, a small group of roughly 50 people among the crowd started to chant norm-braking slogans such as ‘Forget Palestine’ or ‘No to Gaza, No to Lebanon, I will give my life for Iran.’” (Government-approved protests routinely invoke the Iranian government’s self-designated role as a defender of Palestinian aspirations and as a foe of the United States.)
Another hard-liner, Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, warned that protesters risked setting off unrest that might not be controllable. A reformist ally of Mr. Rouhani, Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, warned that protesters risked setting off unrest that might not be controllable.
“The ones who trigger political moves in the streets may not be the ones who will put an end to it, since others may ride the wave they have started, and they must know that their action will backfire on them,” the semiofficial ISNA news agency quoted Mr. Jahangiri as saying. He added that the government was open to receiving “fair criticism.”“The ones who trigger political moves in the streets may not be the ones who will put an end to it, since others may ride the wave they have started, and they must know that their action will backfire on them,” the semiofficial ISNA news agency quoted Mr. Jahangiri as saying. He added that the government was open to receiving “fair criticism.”
The protests also spread on Friday to Kermanshah, a city in western Iran that is mainly inhabited by ethnic Kurds. It is near the site of an earthquake last month that killed hundreds of people.The protests also spread on Friday to Kermanshah, a city in western Iran that is mainly inhabited by ethnic Kurds. It is near the site of an earthquake last month that killed hundreds of people.
About 300 people gathered at Freedom Square in the city and carried out a march in which public property was damaged, according to the semiofficial Fars news agency, which is close to the country’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.About 300 people gathered at Freedom Square in the city and carried out a march in which public property was damaged, according to the semiofficial Fars news agency, which is close to the country’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.
The protesters shouted antigovernment slogans like “Death or freedom,” “Care for us and leave Palestine” and “Political prisoners must be freed,” according to Fars.The protesters shouted antigovernment slogans like “Death or freedom,” “Care for us and leave Palestine” and “Political prisoners must be freed,” according to Fars.
“Periodic protests in Iran are not unusual, and they usually die down quickly, but this one seems to have gained some momentum at the national level, mostly because it coincides with Rouhani’s tightening of the economic belt — slashing subsidies for 30 million people, doubling gasoline prices, etc.,” said Ali Vaez, the Iran project director for the International Crisis Group. Ali Vaez, the Iran project director for the International Crisis Group, said it was possible that hard-line opponents of Mr. Rouhani were behind the protests in Mashhad, capitalizing on anger about the economic belt-tightening and about rising food and gasoline prices.
“The trigger was apparently a protest that the government’s hard-line opponents organized in Mashhad, which got out of control and turned into an antiregime rally and is now spreading across the country.” “The trigger was apparently a protest that the government’s hard-line opponents organized in Mashhad, which got out of control and turned into an antiregime rally and is now spreading across the country” he said.
He noted that Saturday is the eighth anniversary of the nationwide demonstrations that helped crush the 2009 pro-democracy Green Movement.He noted that Saturday is the eighth anniversary of the nationwide demonstrations that helped crush the 2009 pro-democracy Green Movement.
“The system will probably use it as a show of force and in its wake will repress any dissent,” Mr. Vaez said. “The only meaningful consequence probably is that it will provide ammunition for the Trump administration to further condemn the regime. “The system will probably use it as a show of force and in its wake will repress any dissent,” Mr. Vaez said. “The only meaningful consequence probably is that it will provide ammunition for the Trump administration to further condemn the regime.”
Nader Karimi Juni, a reformist journalist, was doubtful that hard-liners were behind the protests. But Nader Karimi Juni, a reformist journalist, was skeptical that hard-liners were behind the protests. “If the protests continue for a while, which is not certain, it will be dangerous for the regime,” he said. “However, the future is unpredictable and the regime has managed to crack down on more serious protests in the past decades.”
“If the protests continue for a while, which is not certain, it will be dangerous for the regime,” he said. “However, the future is unpredictable and the regime has managed to crack down on more serious protests in the past decades.”
Fazel Meybodi, a reformist cleric from the holy city of Qom, said he believed the protests had emerged from authentic concerns, as the government’s new budget had “made people in the provincial towns angry.”Fazel Meybodi, a reformist cleric from the holy city of Qom, said he believed the protests had emerged from authentic concerns, as the government’s new budget had “made people in the provincial towns angry.”
“If the police and government treat people gently, this crisis will wane and tranquility will prevail,” he said. “Otherwise they might — I stress might — grow in the future. Economic issues are urgent, and the protests have nothing to do with any factions — neither reformist nor hardliner. Poor people are protesting, that is it.” “If the police and government treat people gently, this crisis will wane and tranquillity will prevail,” he said. “Otherwise they might — I stress might — grow in the future. Economic issues are urgent, and the protests have nothing to do with any factions — neither reformist nor hard-liner. Poor people are protesting, that is it.”