Demonstrations caused by the deterioration of the economic situation in Iran have now expanded throughout the nation, protesters claimed on Thursday, and this is being termed as the biggest surge of protests since the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. The protests have gone to large cities and also small towns and the countryside, which underscores the magnitude and longevity of people anger about the ruling establishment in the Islamic Republic.
The most violent part of the protests occurred on Wednesday and demonstrations were reported in all the provinces. Nevertheless, the protests have been localised enough, although they are very extensive, to allow people to keep on living in Tehran and other cities. But conflicts associated with the unrest have become fatal with at least 38 individuals being killed with over 2,200 more being arrested since the protests started.
The growing magnitude of the demonstrations has added pressure on the civilian government and the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran. To date, the authorities are not as forceful as they were in the 2022 protests, which arose due to the death of Mahsa Amini in custody. One of the measures like a nation wide shut down of the internet connection or a complete roll out of the security personnel have not yet been implemented but analysts fear that a stronger crackdown is always in the offing should the unrest intensify even more.
The protest movement has been mostly leaderless as it is predominantly led by spontaneous outbursts of frustration due to economical distress. Nevertheless, a new call to protests given by an exiled Iranian crown prince could put the question of whether people are open to leadership or message outside the country.
Analysts observe that the lack of credible and alternative leadership that is clear has historically undermined the protest movements in Iran. Nate Swanson of the Washington-based Atlantic Council noted that most of the dissidents in Iran have potential of becoming powerful leaders, but the security organs of the country have been systematic in detaining, persecuting them.
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