The session brought to light the increasing in-fighting within the ruling theocracy and the rising apprehension of societal unrest.
MP Massoud Pezeshkian openly expressed his fears regarding public dissatisfaction, urging his colleagues to heed the citizens’ grievances. “People are shouting, and we should hear their voices, not to ignore this warning and prevent people from protesting. We shouldn’t arrest protesters and accuse them of conspiracy against national security. We should take this alarm seriously,” he stated.
Previously, on May 16, the state-run Did-e Ban-e Iran voiced similar sentiments, warning of uncontrollable consequences of widespread poverty. “The revolt of the poor is not like protests to the mandatory veiling. We cannot control those who starve,” it said.
On May 27, former MP Hamid Rasai, a confidante of the supreme leader Ali Khamenei, expressed his discontent with the government’s economic policies. He admitted to a “90 percent increase in point-to-point inflation” on his Telegram channel, further criticizing the promises and suggestions made by government officials that exacerbated the inflation rates.
These public denouncements signify not only the leaders’ concerns about the country’s economic conditions but also their fears about the social unrest such conditions may trigger.
An article titled “The destructive cycle of poverty,” published on May 28 in the state-run Etemad, cautioned against the potential for popular revolt due to the government’s incompetence. It painted a grim picture of mass migration and social upheaval as a result of the economic crisis.
Seven years ago, Khamenei had warned about these societal gaps and had envisioned a “Young and Hezbollahi government” to consolidate power and curb societal unrest. Khamenei’s plans, however, seem to have been disrupted by nationwide uprisings, raising questions about the imminent future of his regime.
As public outcry intensifies and economic conditions worsen, the Iranian regime faces a critical juncture where its survival hangs in the balance.
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