In recent days, many demonstrations have taken place across Iran, protesting the Iranian regime’s decisions to increase the price of some of the most basic goods, like bread and chicken. Following this decision, the regime took many security measures to prevent a scene of nationwide protests, akin to those in November 2019 which began soon after the regime announced a price hike for gasoline.
During the protests, the slogans chanted by the people were directed at the regime’s highest officials, from its supreme leader to its president. This alone shows that the people’s main demand is no longer economic, but rather that they seek a regime change, as their tolerance of the regime has reached its threshold.
Looking back, it is clear to see just how big of a mistake the regime Supreme Leader Khamenei made in his decision to appoint Ebrahim Raisi as president.
In his opening remarks in 2022, Khamenei referred to the appointment of Raisi as ‘the great sweetener of 2021’. However, since Raisi became President, there have been failings after failings. Khamenei is desperate to defend Raisi’s policies; after all, he is the one who put him in charge in the first place.
The fact is that Khamenei has tied the regime’s destiny with a gordian knot which will only intensify the people’s protests. It has gotten to the point that a state-run media outlet, the Jomhuri Eslami, called for the resignation of Raisi in an article titled ‘Declaration of Serious Danger’, referring to the total collapse of the ruling body and the explosive conditions of the society.
The paper wrote, “Now even your pro-government forces are protesting your actions, and we know that the efforts of a group of pro-government forces to justify the opposition of their forces are like milking the ram. Now that you cannot solve the problems, bravely step aside, and leave the work to skilled people to save the people and the country from this dangerous vortex.”
Khamenei knew very well what crises he would face when he assembled candidates for high positions within the regime. By picking totally incompetent people, men well known for their crimes and other atrocities, Khamenei has revealed his evil intentions.
Ebrahim Raisi, infamous for his role in the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners, took the position of the presidency. Many IRGC officers, incumbent or retired have been appointed to the cabinet as ministers or their deputies.
Most local officials and governors of the country have also been chosen from among the former and present commanders of the IRGC. Even the regime’s judiciary, by order of Khamenei, is under the control of one of the most criminal clerics e, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, who once bit off the ear of someone who had disagreed with him.
The regime’s parliament is under the control of Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, former State Security Force Commander who has bragged about being a club-wielder on the streets, and members of parliament have, once again, been selected mostly from the members of the Basij and IRGC officers. The only reason for such an arrangement is the regime’s fear of the people and its main opposition group the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), as well as the National Council Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
A few months ago, Khamenei stated that a ‘foreign enemy’ was threatening the regime’s existence but could not specify who or what this enemy was. In the months since his remark, it is apparent that that ‘foreign enemy’ is none other than the MEK and its resilient and expanding Resistance Units.
