Iranian Regime Rattled by Rising Dissent and Organized Resistance

Staff WriterJanuary 3, 2025
Iranian Regime Rattled by Rising Dissent and Organized Resistance
The Iranian regime is grappling with escalating fears of an imminent uprising,

iran-khorramabad-uprising-30122022
Written by
Mohammad Sadat Khansari

The Iranian regime is grappling with escalating fears of an imminent uprising, driven by worsening economic crises and the growing influence of organized resistance, particularly the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). This anxiety is evident across state-controlled media and remarks from regime officials, reflecting their deep concern over structural failures and public unrest.

The state-run daily Etemad painted a grim picture of the regime’s capacity to govern, writing: “No opportunities remain for our government… The unresolved issues and structural imbalances are no longer tolerable. Planning is impossible in Iran given the deep internal rifts. Iran’s car of planning has no driver, or if it does, the driver cannot control it. More importantly, the destination is unclear, and there’s no consensus on it. Passengers exceed capacity, there’s no sufficient fuel, and in short, this car cannot be driven to any safe destination.”

Similarly, Siasat Rooz lamented the dire state of the economy: “We are witnessing the worsening of the economic situation… the dollar rate exceeding 80,000 tomans… shortages of gasoline, electricity, gas, and water, coupled with soaring prices of chicken, eggs, meat, and other essential goods. All these point to a simple conclusion: the economic situation is dire, and the government must prioritize addressing economic issues before it’s too late.”

Factional infighting within the regime has further intensified the atmosphere of instability. Hossein Selahvarzi, former head of the regime’s Chamber of Commerce, took a jab at the regime’s extremist factions in a pointed social media post. He wrote: “They imagine that by stirring society, initiating street protests, and staging motorcycle demonstrations, the Pezeshkian government will collapse, and power will pass into the hands of the ‘Union of Fools.’ But no, you’ve simply caught a whiff of opportunity. With the spread of protests, what’s truly at risk of collapse is something entirely different.”

Selahvarzi’s cryptic yet foreboding remarks suggest that any escalation of protests could threaten not just the government but the survival of the entire regime. Referencing a line of poetry, he added:

“I was in this tavern on that day with the sufferers of pain, Where neither the vine remained, nor any trace of the vine.”

The implications of his words are clear: the regime as a whole, not just its factions or individual leaders, faces an existential threat if public unrest continues to grow.

Marking the anniversary of the 2009 uprising, Friday prayer leaders—mouthpieces for the regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei—sought to rally morale by recalling past crackdowns. Ahmad Khatami, the occasional Friday prayer leader in Tehran, referenced the regime’s survival against the MEK’s uprisings in the 1980s, claiming: “Some corrupt pens suggest that with the fall of the Syrian government, the Resistance Front and Iran were weakened. But the Supreme Leader firmly stated that Iran has emerged stronger than ever.”

Ramadan Sharif, head of the IRGC’s Center for Documents and Research, acknowledged the fear and uncertainty it has sown among some regime followers, officials, and state media. Sharif urged regime loyalists not to succumb to what he called MEK’s social media influence: “Unfortunately, today some individuals are being swayed by the noise created by a terrorist group on virtual platforms. But if they were to see the broader picture—like the achievements of the Resistance Front across Syria—they would understand the wisdom of the Supreme Leader’s foresight and recognize that invading groups are destined for defeat.”

The regime’s obsession with the MEK’s growing appeal among the youth was palpable. Mohammad Hossein Safavi, the Friday prayer leader of Rasht, expressed dismay: “We are saddened that some gravitate towards the Baha’is, the hypocrites [MEK], and enemies like England and America. What can we do? It’s just their nature!”

The regime’s propaganda machinery is working overtime to downplay its vulnerability, but the reality is evident in the panicked tone of its officials and media outlets. Their admissions highlight a crumbling regime, overwhelmed by internal crises, factional conflicts, and the looming threat of organized resistance.

The recent fall of the Syrian regime after 13 years of brutal crackdowns, billions of dollars spent, and thousands of IRGC and proxy fighters deployed to save Bashar al-Assad, has starkly demonstrated Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s failure to both the Iranian people and his demoralized followers.

Faced with this reality, the illegitimate clerical regime in Tehran has little left but to resort to relentless propaganda to scare off dissent and boost the morale of its forces. It fears that if its loyalists lose hope—seeing how their peers in Syria, including the infamous torturers of Sydnaya Prison, are being held to account—the regime itself is doomed to meet the same fate. The specter of accountability and collapse looms large over Tehran, amplifying its desperation and signaling that its days are numbered.

Staff WriterJanuary 3, 2025
Arab-Islamic Committee in Defence of Ashraf
Back to top button