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Protests Pop Up across Iran, Fueled by Daily Dissatisfaction

(New York Times) Thomas Erdbrink - Protesters have taken to the streets with increasing intensity in Iran in recent months. Some demonstrations - about the weak economy, strict Islamic rules, water shortages, religious disputes, local grievances - have turned deadly. The events are broadly shared on social media and on the dozens of Persian-language satellite channels beaming into the Islamic republic. On Thursday, protests were held in the cities of Arak, Isfahan, Karaj and Shiraz. In Eshtehard, protesters attacked a religious school on Thursday, forcing 500 clerics in training to flee. Truck drivers restarted their strike last week, affecting fuel deliveries to gas stations. Iran's rial has lost nearly 80% of its value compared to a year ago. The protests over the past six months have been relatively isolated, sporadic, scattered and much smaller than the antigovernment demonstrations in 2009. But they reflect a common theme of rising dissatisfaction, many say. Yet "there is no vision, no leadership, and the protests will not lead to any chain reaction across the country, at this point," said Bahman Amoei, a well-known political activist who has spent several stints in jail.
2018-08-07 00:00:00
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