The protests in Iran are heating up, but one thing is clear to the Iranian people, and that’s that America is not their enemy — it’s their own government that is.
As my colleague, Elizabeth Vaughn wrote earlier on Monday, Iran’s regime is purported to have fired on Iranian protesters in the streets at Azadi Square, wounding several people. This isn’t the only time they’ve done this either. They’re on day three of the practice.
According to the New York Times, some remarkable things are happening now. The people are turning on the Iranian government, and not just the dissidents, but even conservatives who typically support the regime.
“Unlike previous waves of opposition, some of the outrage this time has come from conservatives who ordinarily support the government, as well as from the usual critics. Headlines in hard-line newspaper demanded resignations, and the commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Hossein Salami, issued a very rare public apology. … The editor in chief of the Revolutionary Guard’s Tasnim news agency, Kian Abdollahi, said that attempts by government officials to lie about what had happened were as great a ‘catastrophe’ as the crash itself.”
Now, according to video seen from the protests, the protesters can be heard shouting chants that describe America as innocent and Iran as the true bad guy.
“Truly remarkable. Just 2 mo ago regim killed over 1,500 people on streets. Despite this, people return on streets w/ even mor fierce chants against entire ruling system while emphasizing repeatedly in slogans: “The enemy is RIGHT HERE, they LIE & say it is the US”. Tehran, Jan 12,” tweeted out one of the people at the protests.
Truly remarkable. Just 2 mo ago regim killed over 1,500 people on streets. Despite this, people return on streets w/ even mor fierce chants against entire ruling system while emphasizing repeatedly in slogans: “The enemy is RIGHT HERE, they LIE & say it is the US”. Tehran, Jan 12 pic.twitter.com/o8OjxrFhLq
— Navid (@Navidfa) January 12, 2020
As Vaughn also reported over the weekend, there is even video showing people unwilling to walk on American and Israeli flags that have been painted on the ground.
At the height of the Iranian establishment anti Americanism, Tehran Beheshti university’s students refused walking over the US and Israel flag while participating in #IranProtests . They all grew up to hate the two countries but seems like the revolutionary ideology is failed. pic.twitter.com/ABQY3GzWMo
— Ali Hamedani (@BBCHamedani) January 12, 2020
“Watch how Iranian students refuse to step on American & the flag of Israel. This should embarrassed Iranian regime & their propaganda funeral for #Soleimani where people were told to chant ‘Death To America.’ Now people in Iran chanting ‘Death to Islamic Republic dictatorship’,” tweeted Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad.
Watch how Iranian students refuse to step on American & the flag of Israel.
This should embarrassed Iranian regime & their propaganda funeral for #Soleimani where people were told to chant “Death To America”.
Now people in Iran chanting “Death to Islamic Republic dictatorship.” pic.twitter.com/hTxDuxZeaB— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) January 12, 2020
I think it’s clear that Iran is turning a corner of some kind here, and it’s not looking good for the Iranian regime. At some point, something is going to break, and I don’t think it will be the Iranian people.
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