The protests that began on Tuesday 31 July, first in Isfahan spread into Karaj, Rasht, Mashhad, Arak and Shiraz, the impoverished country – with the participation of shopkeepers, market vendors, farmers and truck drivers taking to the streets in protest about worsening conditions.
Dozens of store owners in the area have closed their shops and are on strike after the rial’s value dropped by 120 percent in the last six months alone.
People, especially the youth of Karaj, northwest of Tehran are pouring into the streets again on Wednesday, August 1st to demonstrate out of frustration from economic woes, the plunging value of the national currency and the widespread corruption of the ruling regime.
The protesters are chanting ‘death to the dictator’ and ‘Guns Tanks, fireworks, the mullahs must get lost.’
The regime dispatched anti-riot police forces to disperse protesters and regain control of the streets. But the youth protesting in Karaj confronted the police. According to a local report and video obtained from the scene, protesters set fire to a motorcycle belonging to security forces.
During a discussion with Iran News Wire, Navid Barani from Karaj says, “The Iranian people want to change the regime and they know that the sanctions will put the pressure in the right direction. For 40 years the regime has spent Iran’s wealth to establish and carry out suppressive measures and to export extremism throughout the middle east. Making wars in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq. We don’t agree with this aggressive behavior. We want peace and stability in the world. The Iranian people want peace, not war.”
This young man who participated in the protest on Wednesday continued to explain why the people chant; the enemy is right here, they lie about it being America.
“The regime is our enemy. This regime doesn’t care about us, the people of Iran. All they care about is their money and power. Where are my people’s fundamental rights? we have oil and so many other natural resources. why have my people become poorer each year that’s passed by?”
“Why are we facing so many issues? Are we their slaves?”
“What is the regime’s reaction towards our protests? They want to shut our mouth and make us silent. So if they are not our enemy then who is?”
He pointed out that the most important demand is regime change. “They’ve had 40 years to prove themselves and now we’ve reached a point where we’ll no longer tolerate the status quo. It’s over for them.”
Navid explains the reason for people’s anger and hatred of the regime.
“This is obvious. they’ve had their chance for 40 years and what’s been the result of them ruling the country? We have water, no economy, and no good relationship with other countries. They have literally destroyed everything.”
