In Iran, amid a persistent decline in the value of the currency, the Rial, inflation reaching 50 percent, a severe unemployment crisis, and a deepening energy crisis, angry citizens have launched a movement under the slogan “Mullahs Quit Iran,” a movement largely dominated by Gen-Z. People in 21 Iranian provinces are rebellious. Seven people have been killed in violent protests. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is facing the ire of the angry public. Universities and commercial areas in Tehran and other cities have emerged as major centers of protest. US President Donald Trump’s threat to attack Iran has further fueled discontent. Israel, along with the US, is spewing venom against Iran. It cannot be ruled out that these two countries may be behind the protests. Last September, the United Nations reimposed international sanctions related to the country’s nuclear program, which had been lifted 10 years earlier.
The public uprising in Iran is reminiscent of the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Just as Islamic fundamentalists overthrew the country’s elected government 46 years ago, the people seem determined to overthrow the religious fundamentalist regime in Iran. Slogans like “Mullahs Leave Iran” are being openly chanted in Iran. This movement, which has been gaining momentum for the past three days, has now seen Gen Z join in. The popular uprising over the hijab, which was suppressed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with force three years ago, is now surging from the streets to social media with new justice. The mullahs must leave Iran. Dictatorship is not tolerated in Iran.
The public is deeply distressed by the declining economy, rising inflation, unemployment, widespread corruption, and the rising prices of fuel and food. The energy crisis and water shortage in the country are also a source of public anger. Most of the dams supplying water to Tehran and several other major cities are nearly empty. Iran is also among the countries with the strictest internet controls in the world. There is widespread dissatisfaction with the religious regime that rules the country. People still remember the era of Reza Shah Pahlavi. During that era, society was quite open. Even under his son, Reza Pahlavi, Iran was more open than Western countries. The number of women enrolled in universities was very high. There were no restrictions on their choice of clothing. Women could even be seen on the streets wearing Western-style clothing. In the 1970s, Western culture was prevalent in Iran. Even during Reza Pahlavi’s rule, the hijab and burqa were banned, but fundamentalists rebelled, calling him a puppet of America. The religious establishment implemented Sharia law in Iran and imposed numerous restrictions. Women’s freedom was taken away. The Islamic Revolution closed down an open Iran. The current crisis in Iran is not limited to the people’s desire for democratization of the state and society and the conservative reaction and opposition to it. A major reason behind it is political factionalism and internal power struggles in Iran.
The Iranian public is questioning the very legitimacy of Khamenei and the Islamic regime. Most of the protesters, unlike their parents, are children of the Iranian Revolution. This young generation is untouched by the 1979 revolution and wants a new Iran. Most of them were either not present at the time of the revolution or are too young to remember it. These young people are a reminder that a single image of Iran does not reflect the mindset of the 70 percent of the population under the age of 35. Young Iranians’ pursuit of democracy has not only questioned the status and legitimacy of the principle of “Velayat-e Faqih,” but also challenged the Rouhani government and its electoral legitimacy. However, it is extremely difficult to predict whether the current unrest in Iran will escalate into a conflagration that will burn Iran’s theocratic regime to ashes. However, as in 2009, the Iranian regime finds itself once again caught in an unprecedented crisis of legitimacy.
Discontent has been a major problem in Iran since the 1990s. The theocratic regime has perpetrated significant oppression on the youth and working class. Khamenei’s regime has consistently suppressed movements and crushed human rights. Nationwide protests erupted in Iran in 2022 and 2023, sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. She was accused of violating strict Islamic laws regarding the hijab. Hundreds of people were killed during these protests, and more than 20,000 were arrested and many were executed. The current unrest in Iran could escalate into a fire that could burn Iran’s religious power system to ashes. It’s difficult to say right now. Iran is at a turning point that the world cannot ignore. It seems that the wave of democracy in Iran is trying to get out of control. It remains to be seen how much the people there can resist the cycle of oppression.
