Fearing Protests, Iran’s Regime Intensifies Oppressive Measures

Written by
Mehdi Oghbai

iran-crackdown-fraja
On Saturday, Hassan Karami, the commander of the Iranian regime’s special anti-riot units, revealed the regime’s utter fear of the nationwide uprising while blatantly claiming to have crushed Iran’s democratic revolution, which he described as “riots.”

“Our vision is to cover at least 400 cities and areas nationwide to counter riots and the enemy’s supposed movements. We should double our capacity in the [Persian New Year of] 1402,” he said, as reported by different state-run outlets on March 25.

Moreover, in his annual Nowruz speech, the regime’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, bogusly claimed that he and his regime had “slapped” the “rioters” and would do it again in the future vis-à-vis other “incidents.”

Despite Khamenei’s “victory over riots” rhetoric, Karami implicitly acknowledged the society’s volatility and that at least 400 cities and areas are on the verge of explosion. Secondly, by vowing to double the anti-riot units and facilities, Karami admitted that future demonstrations would be more extensive and pose a greater existential threat to the regime.

Why would Karami make such a contradictory remark about oppressing the nationwide protest and exhibiting such fear of future demonstrations?

The answer lies in the streets across Iran, which have been the hotbed of protests and scenes of the bravery of the defiant youth, despite the regime’s severe crackdowns and attempts to detract the revolution in the making from its main course and the goal of regime change.

Besides, the brave “Resistance Units” of the Mujahedin-Khalq (MEK), or the “enemy” Karami speaks of, have kept the fire of protests alit through their activities across Iran.

MEK Resistance Units march in Iran’s cities and chant anti-regime slogans
On Friday, the Friday prayer leaders, known as Khamenei’s mouthpieces, expressed their fear of the MEK’s leading role in protests.

“The global arrogance has always sought to destroy the Islamic Republic using various schemes to instigate riots and make wars…. They tried to increase insecurity through the MEK’s activities in 2009, as they did it again in the last autumn,” said Kazem Sedighi, Tehran’s Friday prayer leader, on March 24, trying to portray the MEK and its network as foreign agents.

The Security and Anti-Terrorism Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) exposed a classified directive of the regime’s Social Security Organization of Armed Forces (SATA) for creating 22-person rapid-deployment suppressive teams, arming them and supplying them with economic holding funds in Basij force within departments of Fars and East Azerbaijan Petrochemical industry.

“Local Basij units… will form rapid-deployment teams of 22-person groups under the Basij force, which will operate in departments of the Fars and East Azerbaijan provinces located in Tabriz and Shiraz petrochemical industries, utilizing the forces of the same petrochemical industries. The units will also provide the necessary permits for this initiative,” the document reads.

Another confidential document obtained by the Iranian Resistance from the regime’s Armed Forces Social Security Organization-Intelligence Protection, reports about giving 10-million-rial rewards to 400 personnel of the special anti-riot units.

“The role of the selfless agents of the State Security Force Special Unit, who have been present at the scene of conflicts since the first day of this unrest was undeniable and deserved to be recognized appropriately. Therefore, it is suggested that coupons worth 10 million rials be given to 400 personnel of the special unit,” the document reads.

“The IRGC and Basij forces must surrender themselves to the people”: PMOI/MEK Resist
Karami’s warning to the Iranian people and the recent documents obtained by the Iranian Resistance once again indicate that mullahs are resorting to more violence in a bid to preserve their grip on power.

But the continuation of protests across Iran shows that oppression has a reverse effect and encourages people to continue their demonstrations. The failure of the systematic oppression of the nationwide uprising in a country where the entire security is designed to quash protests also emphasizes the success of an organized resistance movement that will not bow to tyranny.

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