As social and economic crises deepen in Iran, the regime officials, experts, and state-run media warn of another uprising.
“The skyrocketing prices and livelihood problems are still the Iranian society’s problems. Meanwhile, many sociologists warn about the consequences of people’s improper livelihood and their possible reaction,” wrote the state-run Arman daily on Saturday.
In its article, Arman daily interviews Mostafa Eghlimi, one of the regime’s sociologists.
In response to this question that “how economic pressures affect people’s lives?” Eghlima underlines Iran’s economic crisis, which due to the regime’s corruption and wrong policies.
“The truth is the inflation in the country has increased by 35% within the last year, and the prices of most products people need have tripled. In the current situation, workers are living in inadequate economic conditions. Many shop owners have a customer downturn.
On the other hand, unemployment is increasing daily in society. The situation is such that private companies are either partially closed or forced to fire their employees. As a result, the recent rise in prices has infuriated people, and society is on the verge of a population explosion. If this doesn’t happen now, it will happen soon,” Eghlima told Arman on April 3.
While regime officials and their relatives live luxurious lives, they advise people to “resist” against economic hardships and “be satisfied” with what they have. They also refuse to resolve people’s problems and only make hollow promises.
“People’s economic conditions have a direct influence on social developments of society. Meanwhile, no one is willing to accept the responsibility of people’s social and economic problems. In this situation, some advise people to resist. The question is, while the father is unable to feed his wife and children, how on earth could he resist? The government announced it would increase salaries, but anytime it does, it also increases taxes several times. People hate a government that cannot manage crises. People cannot live with promises, and officials’ promises wouldn’t be the food on their table,” Eghlima continued in this regard.
The Iranian regime and its apologists try to blame international sanctions for Iran’s economic and financial crisis. They also call Iranians who demand regime change “rioters with links to foreign adversaries.”
“The roots of recent incidents [uprisings] are hundred percent domestic, and there are inconsiderable issues connected to outside of Iran. Some officials say the root of recent social disorders lies outside of Iran. It means the officials are not in charge, and some other people beyond borders decide for us. In recent years, the price of the dollar exchange rate in the country has always fluctuated. Should we search for the reason outside the borders? No. The reason for this is the wrong economic policies pursued by the authorities, not the hostility of the United States,” Eghlima acknowledged.
“When economic pressure on people exceeds their capacity, naturally these pressures turn to protests on streets. How long could we manage society as we have done in the past? As much as we make hollow promises and postpone resolving their problems to the future, the severe the social explosion will be. I warn officials. They should think now and increase their efforts to answer people’s demands,” Eghlima warned the regime’s officials.
The regime has increased its oppressive measures to control Iran’s restive society, such as execution, arbitrary arrest, and torture. But will these acts help the regime to hold on to power?
Daily protests in Iran and the recent uprising in the northeast and southeast Iran show the regime’s strategy of controlling the society with oppression no longer works.
