Alex Christoforou
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the protests gripped Iran following a government-mandated fuel price increase of 50 percent and fuel rationing program introduced on November 15th. The decision to ramp up fuel prices was met with violent and large public protests, something the government in Tehran did not anticipate.
Protestors looted more hundreds of banks and shops across the Iran and barricaded highways. The government responded by shutting down the country’s internet and instituting violent crackdowns. Neocon warmongers seized on Iran’s policy error to call for revolution and regime change.
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Fuel price hike in Iran opens the door for regime change agents by The Duran
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 381. The protests gripped Iran following a government-mandated fuel price increase of 50 percent and fuel rationing program introduced on November 15th. The decision to ramp up fuel prices was met with violent and large public protests, something the government in Tehran did not anticipate.
It took Washington all of two days to jump behind the large popular protests over gas price hikes which gripped cities across Iran since Friday. Over the weekend the US State Department predictably came out in favor of more protests, in a volatile situation in the sanctions-ravaged country which has already witnessed multiple demonstrators killed and over a thousands arrested, and banks and gas stations torched in anger over soaring gas prices.
Given Uncle Sam is all too eager to hijack any Iranian domestic protests for the purpose of ‘regime change’ in what’s currently a middle and lower class driven movement over the deteriorating economic situation and drastic change in policy which saw petrol subsidies suddenly slashed, this could be the very recipe which brings the unrest to a halt. Ayatollah Khamenei already labeled those behind vandalism and sabotage as “thugs” and described them as “counter-revolutionary” forces, in reference to Iran’s ‘Islamic revolutionary’ government.
The Islamic Republic’s clerics and political leaders will now no doubt paint the crowds in the streets as being the servants of US and Israeli imperial aggression and interference. But then again, considering that the Trump administration established a special CIA unit reportedly named the ‘Iran Mission Center’ — with an express purpose to facilitate US-driven political change in the country — the mullahs might not be too far off the mark in their paranoia and suspicions at any “spontaneous” uprising.
“The proud Iranian people are not staying silent about the government’s abuses,” Pompeo said in a statement published Sunday, saying that “the United States is with you,” and will stand against Iran’s “tyranny.” The statement said further, “We condemn the lethal force and severe communications restrictions used against demonstrators” and described the unrest as a “Cautionary tale of what happens when a ruling class abandons its people and embarks on a crusade for personal power and riches.”
Secretary Pompeo on Twitter: “As I said to the people of Iran almost a year and a half ago: The United States is with you. https://t.co/D972wPyLxm / Twitter”
As I said to the people of Iran almost a year and a half ago: The United States is with you. https://t.co/D972wPyLxm
Protests and clashes with police began Friday when petrol prices suddenly rose by at least 50% after government subsidies on it were slashed. Government statements said the plan is to divert the funds in order to make cash payments to low-income households.
The AP reported that while at the start of this week drivers were allotted up to 250 liters a month at the pump at at a controlled 10,000 rials per liter, as of Friday that changed drastically to an allowance of 60 liters (or 13 gallons) of petrol a month at 15,000 rials ($0.13; £0.10) a liter. Additional liters after that cost 30,000 rials.
Khamenei in a speech on Sunday defended the move: “If the heads of the three branches of the government make a decision [about it], I will support,” he said. “The decision must be implemented.”
Banks filmed up in flames over the weekend in a serious escalation:
Farnaz Fassihi on Twitter: “#IranProtests Day 3:Behbahan burning down the national bank-Bank Meli.#اعتراضات_سراسري pic.twitter.com/wROp5yWl0p / Twitter”
IranProtests Day 3:Behbahan burning down the national bank-Bank Meli.#اعتراضات_سراسري pic.twitter.com/wROp5yWl0p
Khamenei blamed opponents and foreign enemies for “sabotage” after multiple banks and gas stations were torched over the weekend. He described that,”The counter-revolution and Iran’s enemies have always supported sabotage and breaches of security and continue to do so.”
“Setting a bank on fire is not an act done by the people. This is what thugs do,” Khamenei said.
The top cleric further signaled a severe crackdown is coming as protests were reported to have hit 100 cities across the country of 80 million people.
Meanwhile, new video emerging from Monday protests and clashes with police appears to show some incidents of security forces using ‘live fire’ to disperse the crowds.
Farnaz Fassihi on Twitter: “#IranProtests Day 3:Tehran Special Forces caught directing opening fire at protestors. Watch to the end.#اعتراضات_سراسري pic.twitter.com/qhnb25r8I5 / Twitter”
IranProtests Day 3:Tehran Special Forces caught directing opening fire at protestors. Watch to the end.#اعتراضات_سراسري pic.twitter.com/qhnb25r8I5
In some places gas prices have jumped to as much as 300% compared to what they were before last Friday.
While protests began on Friday, they appeared to get more confrontational by Saturday, as police were filmed using riot control measures against crowds, and with some reports of deadly force being used by police, as has been the case over the past month in neighboring Iraq.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Regime change, that in turn would threaten regional and global stability, is dangerous and should be avoided. The lesson of two world wars has not been learned: because it seems international chaos and confrontation will not stop us from fighting a third.
https://www.ghostsofhistory.wordpress.com/
Empire USA being the nation most deadly, giving it a freedom to destroy governments by invasions, coups and wars of aggression, surely humanity has no moral ability to govern itself.
The Duran — Why your Western hit job on Iran? Because of inhuman sanctions that are fully supported by all Western nations, Iran will soon run out of gasoline unless the public is motivated to reduce consumption. So, because Iran has the most moral democracy on earth, and to move the economy more toward equality, cost of gas has been increased to $.24 a liter, less than $1 a gallon and all of the increased profit given to the working-poor. “Fuel price hike in Iran opens the door for regime change agents (Video)” Comes now The Duran to publish the… Read more »
Spare me your moralism. You accuse the Duran of being biased, while you yourself are super biased “most moral democracy on earth…” Give me a freakin’ break. The Iranian administration did this to itself. They have tons of oil that they want to export, but they’re telling the population to pay more for less fuel. Makes absolutely no sense. Iran has shortages of many things, but oil, crude and refined, is not one of them. They’re not even running current account deficits. They should be running deficits, given their situation. They have a regressive tax system, on top of a… Read more »
Only the 30% most wealthy in society must pay more for gas and only if they use more than 60 liters a month. Otherwise they the rich keep paying $.48 a gallon. Because Iran is exhausting it’s ability to refine gas and to help the poor, this is the only reason for the price increased.
Yes, I’m bias against skin-tight pants on women corrupting the morals of boys.
Your idea that morality is “wholly irrelevant to economical management,” you must be an Empire builder in expansion crazy USA.
Right, John Ellis. Iran’s government has been elected by its people and does not need meddling from outside. It is not a “regime”. The Duran should stop using this US DEEP STATE term for other governnments that they do not like. By the way, the US has tried to meddle and change the Iranian Government since 1980, when they kicked out their corrupt Shah, a US puppet. Iran has withstood all meddling attempts and threats for nearly 40 years. I do not think they will kneel down to kiss US feet now.
Iran saw economic development under the Shah. The Shah wanted Iran to produce added value, not just crude. The Shah also made progressive reforms, which were incompatible with the Muslim fundamentalists. Every country has corruption. Every country has a deep state of sorts. Every country has a regime.
But obviously the Iranian people were sick and tired of the old Shah. Can’t have been all that fantastic as you describe him here. They drove him out. Good riddance to bad rubbish. And ever since the US Deep State has been pestering the Iranian GOVERNMENT (yes, it is a government, not a “regime”).
The Shaw established his dictatorship by bloodshed, maintained his dictatorship by much brutality, torture, bloodshed and a regime without elections has to be pure corruption from start to finish.
The Shah called out the Israeli lobby decades ago.
John Ellis, that’s not how it works.
Hiking the price of fuel means increasing the price of everything, electricity, food, transportation etc. Such a hike hits the entire population. So even if the poor get more in welfare, the gain in welfare is annulled by the increase in the cost of living.
If the state levies a regressive tax, it hurts everybody, that’s why many people who took to the streets were working class.
It was not a tax, as the government gained nothing by increasing the cost of gas. For it was a transfer of wealth from the 30% most wealthy down to the 70% less wealthy where it belongs. A most progressive action, as the highest priority of government is to establish a fair and just distribution of wealth. For the profit produced by the combined efforts of society does not belong just to those who happen to get their hands on it first. For the true definition of democracy is everyone jointly deciding on how to distribute the profit from their… Read more »
Right, John Ellis. By the way, whatever the Iranian Government decides to do about the cost of gas, it is their own business and does not concern the snooty snouts of US Deep State at all!
This is fake news. The ration of subsidized fuel was decreased for the non-rich, and the rate of subsidization of this amount was also decreased, both by a high percentage. If they wanted to penalize the rich, they would have eliminated the subsidy for the rich. Instead, they cut the subsidy for the working class. Again, Iran does not have a shortage of fuel. This move is folly. If you really want to tax the rich, you implement a wealth tax. You seem to be a socialist or communist, given your concluding statement. I assure you that the Iranian government… Read more »
Mr. confusion, do not the rich purchase their fuel at wholesale prices with 10 million litter contracts?
Taxing the rich only increases retail prices. Surely, the only way to achieve equality is for men to love wealth less than they love people.
I am a moralist, as the only way to achieve a fair and just government is to first create an honest society.
The Government is not a “regime”, but a rightfully elected government. The Duran should stop using the term “regime” to describe rightful governments. This is a CIA term to discredit other States that do not bough to their will.
True, for a regime is a government not ruled by consent of the governed.
Such as Empire USA, where the government uses killer-cops to keep the 50% working-poor enslaved by poverty wages.
Or the Regime in Great Britain, which does not fulfill the will of the people who voted for BREXIT. Or the Regime in France which did not acknowledge when France had a referendum not to join NATO. So western regimes should shut up and leave the Government of Iran in peace.
The Russians, in contrast to western deep state propagandists, have no problem calling the Iranian Government a “Government”, not a “regime”. BRAVO RUSSIA! TASS reports: Iran asks Russia for $2bln loan to build power plants, railroads – energy minister MOSCOW, November 23. /TASS/. Iran has filed a request for a loan of $2 billion from Russia to build power plants, railroads and to purchase subway cars, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Saturday. “They did make a request for intergovernmental loans to implement certain projects. The Finance Ministry is considering the issue. Among them are the construction of power… Read more »
Actually the word “regime” refers to the upper-half society and how they
are so greed-driven as to enslave the 50% working-poor by poverty.