Protests in Iran and the glowing embers of the uprising that are continuing to flare up in so many parts of the country are starting to strike fear into the mullahs. This is becoming obvious as officials in Tehran are warning openly about the volatile situation in the society.
Iran’s latest horror at the upheaval indicates where the source of power is. The authorities find the core of the threat in the face of the uprising and call on each other to go by the rules.
Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, an Iranian conservative politician and Hassan Rouhani’s Interior Minister, told the Tasnim state-run daily on 1 July that when the protests scatter on the street some will get very excited. By this he meant the people and youth who are shouting death to Khamenei and Rouhani. Or even chant, “Be aware of the day we get armed!” This Rahmani considers as doing great damage to security.
The next day the ILNA state-run daily zoomed in on the protest in Khorramshahr saying that the youth shouted some harsh words. They caused problems and made some people angry.
Brigadier General Gholamhossein Gheybparvar expressed concern that perhaps the streets are falling into the hands of disbelievers or the MEK. He recommended that the Revolutionary Guards and other forces be very wary of the anger and hatred people have for the government leaders.
Gheybparvar concludes that the scuffles with the oppressive forces on the streets is the enemy forming a battle line. (Tasnim, 2 July)
All this tension is based on the fact that Iran’s society is in an explosive state, wanting an overthrow of the current regime. There is no turning back this time for the rulers. This Brigadier General knows exactly what the people are out to get. The heat is being turned up to such an extent that Eshaq Jahangiri, first Vice-President of Iran, was recalled, saying the explosion is going to be like a room full of gas going off.
