Over the past several weeks, and especially in recent days, numerous protests and demonstrations have swept across Iran. These are the most significant protests in the country since those of 2009, which the Islamic Regime’s security apparatus ruthlessly suppressed.

The reasons behind these demonstrations are multifaceted:

  1. Over the years, ordinary people have invested their savings in banks promising high interest rates. Many investors were low-income families, putting in their last bit of money in hopes of improving their lives and those of their families. In some cases – and these are not isolated incidents – the investments were intended to finance expensive medical treatments in Iran. It has now become clear that these banks were merely scamming people. Not only did investors receive no interest, but the money they invested is now gone. Read more about this here: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-illegal-banks-fail-depositors-protest/28849665.html
  2. The current President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, had promised that once the Iran Deal was implemented and sanctions against Iran were lifted, wealth would flood into the country, poverty would be eradicated, and living expenses would decrease. However, Rouhani has failed to deliver on these promises; living expenses are now much higher than before, and poverty in Iran continues to grow. Read more about this here: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-protests-mashhad/28944529.html
  3. Unemployment is rampant in Iran, and Rouhani has been ineffective in addressing the issue. Coupled with the country’s high poverty rate, unemployment has become a major concern. Read more about this here: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2017/12/28/Demonstrations-in-Iran-Down-with-Rohani-down-with-the-dictator-.html
  4. For 40 years, the Islamic Regime has ruled Iran with an iron fist, and the people seize any opportunity to protest against the regime. Read more about this here: https://anfenglish.com/women/protests-continue-in-iran-end-dictatorship-23936

    Protests and demonstrations have now engulfed the entirety of Iran. Interestingly, we are now hearing slogans in favor of the Monarchy and the late Shah of Iran. This isn’t entirely surprising, as the late Shah and the Monarchy have seen a surge of support among young Iranians in recent decades. For further insight on this matter, please read my previous post: “Increased support for the Shah in Iran“.

    Here are just a few examples of demonstrations where pro-monarchy slogans were chanted:

  • In Isfahan. People chanting “Ma Enghelab Kardim, Che Eshtebahi Kardim”, translated to English: “We Did a Revolution,  What a Mistake We Did”, referring to the Islamic revolution in 1979.


  • In front of the Tehran University, people are chanting “Reza Shah, Roohat Shad”, translated to English: “Reza Shah, Rest in Peace”, referring to the founder of the Pahlavi dynasty, Reza Shah Pahlavi, also called Reza Shah the Great.


  • In Mashhad, people are chanting “Reza Shah, Rest in Peace”. Mashhad is one the most religious cities of Iran.

  • In Qom, people are chanting “Reza Shah, Rest in Peace”. Qom is THE most religious city of Iran.


  • In Ghazvin, people are chanting “Reza Shah, Rest in Peace”. Ghazvin is a large city close to Tehran.

  • In Saari, people are chanting “Reza Shah, Rest in Peace”. Saari is a large city in Northern Iran.


  • In Hashtgerd, people are chanting “Reza Shah, Rest in Peace”. Hashtgerd is a city 70 km from Tehran.

  • In Mashhad, people are chanting “Iran Ke Shah Nadareh, Hesab, Ketab Nadareh”, translated to English: “Iran Lacks a Shah, Why There are No Order in the Country”.


  • In Sabzevar, people are chanting “Iran Lacks a Shah, Why There are No Order in the Country”. Sabzevar is a city in northeastern Iran.


  • Unknown city. People are chanting “Ey Shah-e Iran, Bargard Be Iran”, translated to English: “Oh, the Shah of Iran, Return Back to Iran”.


  • In Ahvaz, people are chanting “Shahanshah Roohat Shad”, translated to English: “King of Kings, Rest in Peace”, referring to the late Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran.


Regrettably, I don’t anticipate these protests will burgeon into a revolution, nor do I expect to witness the downfall of the Islamic Regime in Iran soon. Observing the images and clips emerging from Iran, it appears that the regular police force is still managing the demonstrations. The notorious Basij and the so-called plain-clothes forces have not yet been deployed onto the streets, indicating that the regime doesn’t feel significantly threatened, at least not as of now.

Should the demonstrations escalate, we could see a bloodbath, akin to what transpired in 2009, if not worse. A significant obstacle is the extensive support that the Islamic Regime in Iran receives from the European Union. A case in point is the stark contrast in responses: while President Trump has expressed his support for the Iranian people’s uprising against the Islamic Regime, the European Union and Western European countries remain silent. This is a disgraceful chapter in the history of both the European Union and Europe at large.

We will continue to monitor the events unfolding in Iran, and it’s clear that the only way the Iranian people can succeed in toppling the Islamic Regime is through UNITY.