A “real change”
Iran -which lives under harsh sanctions from the United States- is suffering a serious economic crisis and has already registered protest movements in recent years, such as in 2009 after the disputed re-election of Mahmud Ahmadinejad or in 2019 when people took to the streets to protest against a brutal rise in the price of energy.
But none of these movements had threatened the foundations of the Islamic Republic to such an extent, said Shadi Sadr, director of Justice for Iran, a UK-based NGO.
“The uprising began as a response to the restrictions placed on women … but, it evolved into a campaign to topple the regime,” the US-based Soufan Center said in a study.
Never before have slogans such as “death to the dictator” or broken images of the supreme guide, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, been recorded.
Videos show protesters resisting security forces by setting police cars on fire and even setting up barricades.
This uprising left in the background the traditional political struggles in the country, between reformists and conservatives, and captured international attention, which for several months had been focused on the negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.
“The demonstrators changed the dominant discourse by calling for real change. They say ‘no’ to the entire political regime,” said Shadi Sadr.
With information from Reuters and AFP.