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Iran has been swept by protests since November 15th, with banks, stores and gas stations being set on fire. So far, more than 1,000 have been arrested and upwards of 12 people have died. Iranian authorities said 87,400 people were involved in the unrest across the country.
People took the streets after the government-implemented increase in the price of fuel by 50%. According to the decision, vehicles for private use would be restricted to 60 liters of fuel monthly, while the price of petrol would jump 50% to 15,000 Iranian rials per liter. Any fuel in excess of those 60 liters would be charged with an additional 30,000 rials ($0.26) per liter.
Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raeisi said that the decision was taken hastily, without consulting the wide public, but that it was necessary. The move is intended to raise about $2.5 billion a year for additional subsidies for 18 million families, or about 60 million Iranians on lower incomes. As of November 19th, the Iranian government began carrying out the direct payments to the 60 million poorest, of the country’s 80 million population.
The current economic situation in Iran is a result of the ongoing US-led sanction war against the country. In 2018, Iran’s $1.63 trillion economy was reduced by 3.5%. Iran’s inflation is officially upwards of 40%. The country’s economy is projected to shrink by around 6% in 2019. Official oil exports have gone down from about 2.5 million barrels a day before the US left the nuclear deal to less than 200,000 barrels a day.
The current round of protests began in Tehran on November 15th, with citizens blocking main roads and destroying property. By November 17th, the protests had reached some 100 cities and towns, including Tabriz, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Sanandaj and Shiraz. At least 100 banks and 57 stores were set on fire.
The US publicly supported the demonstrations, with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo even tweeting his support of the Iranian people. The Trump administration released a general statement condemning Tehran’s alleged use of “lethal force” and its proven use of communications restrictions. US officials and mainstream media actively endorsed protestors make an attempt to overthrow the government.
Tehran called the US stance “hypocritical,” highlighting that Washington’s sanctions are the main reason for the unrest. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed his support of the fuel price increase, saying that it was necessary, while condemning the violent protesters. There’s been a wide internet shutdown since the protests began, with connectivity falling to only around 4-7% of normal levels.
Prior to now, protests in Iran have sporadically happened, expressing public discontent with the complicated economic situation.
There’s been a tendency, beginning from December 2017, and they lasted until mid-January 2018. Protesters expressed their opposition to cuts to fuel and cash subsidies, contained in the 2018 budget proposal unveiled in mid-December 2017. The previous protests were similar in nature to these, but less violent. There were similar protests in August, November and December 2018. In all the cases, protests had no clear political agenda and were mostly focused on the economic and social situation.
On November 19, authorities announced that the calm has been restored across the most of the country. However, the situation remains unstable and more unpopular economic moves needed to counteract the US economic pressure on the country may cause a new round of riots. Iran is unlikely to comply with the US’ demands for the “maximum pressure” campaign and trade the sovereignty to ease the sanctions.
The behavior of the US, which publicly calls on protestors to overthrow the Iranian government, is more common for a period of active war than for any kind of a peacetime public diplomacy. It demonstrates that Washington sees Iran as a country with which it is in a state of the military conflict. Such statements were unprecedented even towards the USSR during the Cold War. In fact, the US is waging an open aggressive hybrid war on Iran pushing the entire Middle East towards a further instability.
If Washington achieves its desired goal and anti-government protests in Iran expand and involve a large part of the population (20-30%), and the US continues endorsing them for more violence and regime-change attempts, there are notable chances that the cornered Iranian government will have to use the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Army against rioters. In the event of a deep crisis threatening the existence of the Iranian state in the current form, the country’s leadership may even opt to carry out a retaliatory strike on Israel, Saudi Arabia or US infrastructure in the region.
the tyrants of the war machine are turning seems too be building up to a false flag attack something major to bring us into war…
Iran has decoupled from the Dollar. Iran now can increase the US dominated petroleum cost coming out of the Middle East. Make US/Nato vassals pay more for this oil which will herald an economic depression.
“…By November 17th, the protests had reached some 100 cities and towns, including Tabriz, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Sanandaj and Shiraz.At least 100 banks and 57 stores were set on fire. “
Sure… according to Reuters, AFP and probably CNN.
“…The move is intended to raise about $2.5 billion a year for additional subsidies for 18 million families, or about 60 million Iranians on lower incomes. As of November 19th, the Iranian government began carrying out the direct payments to the 60 million poorest, of the country’s 80 million population.”
So, aside from the top wealthiest 1% Iranians or whatever, this is really another shakedown of Iranian’s decimated middle class to take their money and redistribute it to the poorest. Which will immediately increase prices of basic items (like food and slum housing) some amount because the newly-rich poor now have more magic free money. And Iran gets even more lowest-economic-class people by impoverishing some percent of the middle class. This is just the globalists’ Yemeni Plan – you’re either poor, or you run the place. Iran sounds just like American – why do we hate them so much?
Maybe a lot of Iranians don’t want a liberal corporatocracy, with financial classes and a sold-out bourgeoisie licking the nuts of Jewish bankers… you know usury is against Islamic law, no?
Is that why the banks were set on fire then? No explanation was ever offered in western MSM aside from some hazy connection to ‘Iranian riots’. I could understand why fundamentalist Shia would object. They also described the initial bank as the Iranian National Bank implying government-run, but that may just be the name of a private bank. I have no idea.
Interest rates for Iranian bank deposits are published, so I assume some of them also loan money for interest. Usury – as used in the US anyway – means charging excessive or exploitative interest rates. I though charging any interest at all on a loan was against Islamic law? I know Saudi Arabia has both kinds of banks, operating as either ‘Islamic’ and ‘non-Islamic’ banks. Seems like the al Sauds that own entire banks only own the non-Islamic kind.
+1 for the incisive and accurate description of our sold-out bourgeoisie. I would only add the US Congress – they’re the experts!
Usury is destroying civilisations indeed. Making slaves out of hard working peoples. And its embedded in legal system, protected like a golden chick it is – all in the name of 1%.
Theocracy doesn’t sound so bad when compared to this abomination of systems. Iran will survive as it is superior to alternative…
If they are talking about re-distributing wealth, then sure you are correct.
But Iran will be redistributing income, GDP, so a different issue, and something that can be sustainable.
My mistake. Redistributing income/GDP is always a good thing, right? Sounds kind of consequence-free and if it’s also sustainable, then why not double the benevolence?
If Iran raised the price per liter from IRR1000 to IRR2000, then Iran’s poor would get twice big of a check as they are now. How could that possibly be bad? Still well below neighboring countries if you use the black market IRR exchange rate. In fact, if Iran doubled the price again next year to IRR4000, that would double the distribution to the poor once again -and- eliminate the smuggling issue (temporarily). GDP would increase again! The poor would be getting back way more than the added petrol expenses.
Rhetorical argument only – I’m well aware that my country’s deliberate, psychopathic, decades-long economic punishment of Iranian citizens has caused far more pain to the average Iranian than any increased price of petrol.
Maybe they want more dead Iranians, let them shoot again.
nah, it is profoundly more likely that there will be an awful lot of dead dead and then more dead squatters on the land they have stolen unless of course they can convince the unhinged states of A to issue green cards for the lot. otherwise, the squatters don’t stand a chance and will be squashed to pulp, which is really what they would deserve.
The Iranians fired the four missiles at Israel to divert attention from the brutal and cruel repression of the protests.
They will probably do it again.
If Iran fires at Israel – Israel will cease to exist.
rofl, I like that one.
The mullahs are crazy, not dumb.
Don’t believe their barking, it is only for the local consumption of their sheep.
The mullahs are only good for the murder of unarmed Iranian protesters.
True examples of the zionist regime and the neonut born again cases.
So im supposed to beleive your barking young man?
Fat chance tony, i know your full of shit.
pussy Mike , Take your pills and go to sleep.
Internet is down. If Iran attacks Israel now, the battle will be fought inside Iran and it might be the end for nowadays Iran, to many people, women, educated non zealots needs only one more small hind to reverse the 40 year treason of the fanatic Kamanije gang from 1979 revolution.
Listen folks take out Israhell and USA then you can do what ever the hell you want with the mullahs I won’t care about the protest. They are just harming themselves more than the government
pompos ass has no comment to lethal force being used in chili bolivia or france? what a cretin for a flea.
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