Iran’s 2018 protests indicate change in 2019
On December 28, 2017, the massive demonstrations that rocked Mashhad, quickly spread from the north east province of Khorasan to 142 cities in Iran. The demonstration, initially in protest to high prices, quickly changed course in as little as 24 hours with protesters directly targeting the whole Iranian regime in its entirety. Angry protesters all over Iran chanted against the leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei and its president, Rouhani, demanding regime change. Despite the ensuing waves of suppression and the arrest of activists and protesters and the increased number of the execution of prisoners, the protests continued the whole year round indicating that the regime had failed to contain the fury of Iranians. Contrary to 2017, when only a few cities witnessed protests, it is now difficult to find a city in Iran that has not erupted in protests this year. Various sectors of Iran’s society including workers, teachers, students, bazaar merchants, tru...