What Is Happening In Iran?
What Is Happening In Iran?
Examining the ongoing unrest in Iran.
By Don Via Jr, September 24, 2022
On the 16th of September, 2022, a 22 year old Persian woman by the name of Mahsa Amini was arrested in Tehran by Iran's Guidance Patrol, known as the “morality police”, tasked with enforcing the strict codes of conduct for the Islamic Republic, for allegedly violating the nations law requiring all women to properly wear a head scarf in public. Shortly thereafter she fell into a coma while in police custody and died three days later in the hospital with speculation surrounding her cause of death.
Amini’s death sparked national outcry, with thousands taking to the streets in demonstrations demanding justice and accountability for her death, and voicing general disapproval of the hijab law in general. Women took to the streets in a show of solidarity burning hijabs and cutting their hair in opposition to the laws.
Shortly thereafter the protests began to take more political direction, adopting an anti government sentiment erupting into riots and clashes between demonstrators and security forces. Violence became widespread as rioters would burn the statue of Supreme Leader Khamenei, and allegedly set fire to Mosques along with other acts of violence. As the death toll rises, Iranian authorities crackdown on protests and have commenced an internet shutdown throughout the country in order to disrupt the organization of protests.
In the days since the crackdown the international press freedom nonprofit Reporters Without Borders has also reported an increase of arrests of journalists in Iran.
There are also reports of pro-government counter demonstrations taking place condemning the violence throughout the country.
Beyond the basic premise of what is happening and the apparent causality behind it conflicting reports are arising from all sides.
On September 22nd BBC Persia published a purported interview with the father of the deceased girl, Amjad Amini, in which he accused Iranian authorities of engaging in a cover up regarding his daughter's death. Claiming witnesses told his son that Mahsa was beaten by authorities. Further claiming that doctors denied him access to seeing her body and that the medical report was falsified.
Upon republishing the report, CNN claimed they could not independently verify his account with hospital officials.
The following day Iranian media posted a statement allegedly from Amjad Amini, in which he is claimed to have said “the recent protests and riots in Iran have nothing to do with his family, adding that they are not content with these riots. He said his only wish is that those responsible for Masha's death be held accountable.”
It has been difficult to verify the authenticity of either claims, though the latter appears to have originated from the Tasnim News Agency according to a report from The Cradle.
Iranian state media PressTV has regularly asserted that the protests have been hijacked by antigovernment agitators. While dubious coming from a government mouthpiece, these claims may have some credence.
Since the outset of the unrest various cyber attacks have occurred against Iranian government websites including the Central Bank of Iran, the Fars News Agency, and the official website of the President of Iran.
A hacker claiming to be a member of the hactivist collective Anonymous has taken responsibility for the attacks on their Telegram channel @YourAnonSpid3r, calling for a continuation of the violent clashes and a toppling of Iran's government.
Furthermore, it has been reported that on the evening of September 23rd Iranian security forces foiled an attempt to smuggle military grade weaponry and equipment into Iran from across the border of Azerbaijan. Iranian Border Corps officers arrested two individuals confiscating advanced night vision goggles and military attire along with hand grenades, remote controlled explosive devices, handguns, and rifles from two cars in the Khoda Afarin region.
The US was quick to capitalize upon the unrest in Iran to once again undermine its geopolitical adversary. Speaking at the UN General Assembly president Joe Biden expressed solidarity with the uprisings, stating the US “stands with the brave citizens and women of Iran who right now are demonstrating to secure their basic rights.”
Democracy Digest, the official news outlet for the National Endowment for Democracy, has taken to openly supporting calls for regime change in Iran amid the recent unrest. This is perhaps the biggest red flag as the NED is known to serve as a front organization for the Central Intelligence Agency spreading propaganda and assisting to facilitate regime change operations and color revolutions around the world. As recently as February 2022 they have been active in propagating disinformation campaigns for the US/NATO proxy war against Russia in Ukraine.
The official Twitter page for Democracy Digest recently shared an article from Canadas National Post promoting the overthrow of the Iranian government, specifically singling out the quote —
“The only way these women and girls in #Iran can be free of this indiscriminate violence, humiliation and everyday fear of a totalitarian regime is to be rid of that regime,”
The report also invoked similarities to the 2019 / 2020 mass protests in Iran which called for regime change, and were notably supported by clandestine elements of the US government and western backed extremists.
An article from Democracy Digest promoting the regime change narrative also featured an interview from German outlet DW with political scientist Ali Fathollah Nejad, Associate fellow of the German Council on Foreign Relations and author of the book Iran In An Emerging New World Order.
The information suggests foreign influence in the current unrest is at least to some degree plausible, and given current geopolitical developments a new attempt at toppling the Iranian government by Western powers wouldn't be too far fetched, either.
Amid the ongoing new Cold War between the US and Russia & China, the United states is on the verge of losing its global hegemonic monopoly and unipolar dominance. And Iran is contributing to that shift in geopolitical relations.
As explained by journalist Richard Medhurst, Iran has recently signed on to joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and their membership will be finalized in April of 2023. The normalization of friendly relations between Russia, China, and Iran as they continue to expand their influence in the global south would play a crucial role in unseating the current American dominated world order, as it opens new avenues for countries to seek better economic relations outside of the American system.
As the US does everything it can to attempt to cling to its empire, waging proxy conflicts with Russia and instigating similar ones with China over Taiwan, it would seem no better time than to attempt to facilitate a regime change in Iran as well. While we've yet to uncover a smoking gun, only time will tell.
Break The Matrix will continue to provide updates as the situation develops.