Middle East
Iran: A Rebellion
Reborn From the Ashes Ghader Anari
A rebellion sparked by a hike in the price of gasoline began this week in Iran. The protests, which started in the southern province of Khuzestan, have spread to Almost all the country’s states and cities.
Gasoline prices soaring up to triple their previous rates caused the masses to pour into the streets. But as soon as the protests began, slogans went beyond the anger against the gasoline hike and targeted the regime. In an interview he gave two days before the protests began, the Minister of Petroleum replied to a question about how much the government would raise the price of oil, saying: “up to the level that the people keep silent�. Nevertheless, two days after this statement, the Iranian people poured into streets and proved that they will raise their voice.
The Price Hike and Inflation With the new petrol hike, drivers are entitled to a price of 15,000 rials (US $ 0.13) per liter for the first 60 liters of each month. The price for each liter after 60 will be 30 thousand rials (0.26 US dollars). Before the hike, drivers had the right to buy 250 liters of gasoline at 10 thousand rials per liter. It is also known that the gasoline hike is the beginning of a new wave of raises in the price of all basic goods; that means a general inflation raise. The main reason behind the rebellion sparked by the price hike is that Iran has already been experiencing high inflation for a long time. 55
The Protests Twelve banks in the city of Behbahan, 15 banks in the city of Karaj, the National Bank of Iran, and many private banks in numerous places were set on fire by protesters. Cars blocked highways and traffic was stopped by pouring sand onto the roads. These radical mobilizations of the masses pouring into the streets, motivated by anger against intense exploitation, oppression and the economic crisis, shook the country. Although the regime conceals the number of people who lost their lives in the protests, it has been reported that at least 15 people have been killed so far. In contrast with the 201718 protest wave, the regime has been more aggressive this time. The protests attracted all sub-classes in urban centers. Workers, artisans and the Bazaar (Tehran), students, and large sectors of laborers take part in the protests. Despite the current harsh weather conditions in Iran, with cold and snow, people take to the streets for long hours and do not return home. 55
Permanent Revolution
