Iran: Youth Express Anger Over Interference in Syria

The Trump administration is using the former embassy of Iran as the newest background for its campaign to isolate the Iranian regime.

A new highly produced video was recorded by the State Department outside the old embassy in Washington. In this video, the Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook says: “The U.S. has taken good care of Iran‘s embassy in Washington, hoping that one day we can return the keys back to an Iranian government that cares more about its people and less about its destructive revolutionary ideology. A brighter future is possible.”

state department tweet

On the same day in Andimeshk, southwestern Iran, a large group of youths expressed their anger against regime propaganda that favored Iranian interference in Syria. They ripped off a banner supporting Iran’s interference in Syria.

On Tuesday, February 19, 2019, the population of the city of Andimeshk, in the province of Khouzistan (southwestern Iran) gathered near the banner at the entrance to the city. Iranian social media reported the banner was hanging on a giant sign.

Iranians Against Interference in Syria

The hanging of this banner by the Dezful Town Hall in the intersection in the city of Andimeshk was the cause of a revolt by the population. the people of Andimeshk did not appreciate the authorities of the neighboring city coming to hang a propaganda sign in their city. The intersection in question has been the subject of a dispute between the two cities for a long time.

propaganda banner oromotes interference in syria, in andimeshk

The fact that the banner had propaganda content in favor of Iran’s interference in Syria further angered the people of Andimeshk. This lead to clashes with the police. Police used tear gas and live ammunition in the air on several occasions to disperse the crowd.

The angry demonstrators finally ripped down the banner in question. The special representative of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the city of Dezful expressed outrage at this act of anger and described the demonstrators as “thugs.”

“This kind of action prepares the way for the enemy, to generate insecurity in society. It benefits anti-revolutionaries who abuse the situation,” added Mohammad Ali Ghazi, who acknowledged that the action was an act of opposition to the ruling government.

Anti-Regime Effort Escalates

In the meantime, the PMOI/MEK resistance unit network escalated the anti-regime effort.

In Khorramabad, in western Iran, members of a resistance unit set fire to the entrance of a building belonging to the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Basij paramilitary units.

Members of another resistance unit in Shahr-e Rey, southern Tehran also set fire to an IRGC Basij headquarters, raising the level of their measures and directly targeting the regime’s oppressive units.

In Mashhad, northeast Iran, members of Resistance Unit 905 set fire to the entrance of an IRGC Basij base, inflicting fear in the rank and file of the local regime units.

Again in Khorramabad, members of Resistance Unit 380, set fire to a billboard outside an IRGC Basij base.

Hassan Mahmoudi is a human rights advocate and Social Media journalist seeking democracy for Iran and peace for the region.