Iran’s Government Cracks Down on Widespread Protests; Anger Likely to Persist

Protests across Iran have grown broader and more combative and were met with a violent government crackdown, analysts said. Some parts of Tehran saw heavy damage during recent demonstrations. Experts described the regime and 86‑year‑old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as viewing the unrest as an existential threat and responding with force to protect state institutions, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Many Iranians, the analysts said, view the government as stagnant and ideologically hollow after nearly 50 years in power and have turned out demanding an end to the regime. With an internet blackout it is difficult to get a clear picture of the protests or a precise death toll; rights groups and an Iranian health official have said hundreds, perhaps thousands, have been killed.

Economic turmoil — including the recent collapse of the rial, soaring inflation and water shortages — helped spread the unrest from the merchant class to thousands who could not afford basics, the report said. The Revolutionary Guards retain a monopoly on force and are deeply embedded in the economy, and there have been no serious defections from the security services, analysts added.

Analysts including Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group said the state will probably quash the current unrest but cannot address underlying causes, leaving anger that could reappear.

Key Topics

World, Iran Protests, Tehran, Irgc, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian Rial