A year has passed since the Iranian people rose up against the religious tyranny that has oppressed them for decades. This revolt shook the very foundations of the theocratic regime in place. As the grim anniversary of the Zahedan massacre approaches, the Baloch justice movement and freedom supporters have announced the creation of a rebel unit, a sign of unwavering resolve. Previously, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) had unveiled the formation of 5,000 resistance units, ready to fight.
Faced with this growing threat, the Iranian religious dictatorship has spared no effort to stifle any desire for revolt. She appointed General Radan, one of the most repressive elements of the regime, as head of the police force. General Salami, commander of the Revolutionary Guards, ordered ruthless surveillance, tolerating no loopholes that could be exploited by the enemy.
The sinister morality patrols are back on the streets, symbolizing the regime’s brutal repression. The purges within the teaching staff aim to neutralize the university, a potential hotbed of protest. Arrests are increasing, with more than 2,000 people apprehended in just 48 hours. The People’s Mojahedin, a central player in the NCRI, declared that more than 3,000 relatives of their members had mysteriously disappeared, without any news of them.
Last year’s uprising resembled, according to regime dissident Mohsen Ronani, a fool’s game between the opposition and those in power. The opposition seemed to be preparing for the inevitable moment when it would rise again. Impressive figures demonstrate the intensity of the uprising: 1,500 anti-repression operations and 4,000 demonstrations in 282 cities in the space of 100 days.
These facts portend possible urban riots which could put an end to the regime in the blink of an eye. Dissident theorist Mehdi Nassiri believes that if this regime manages to survive another five years, it will be a real miracle.
On the eve of this anniversary, the regime announced the arrest of 2,000 people and the discovery of 20,000 bombs. Whether these figures are true or not, they testify to an explosive climate. Iranian society is a powder keg under tension, and the theocracy has lost any semblance of legitimacy and credibility. Economic indicators are at their lowest: unemployment, double- and even triple-digit inflation, water shortages, and widespread corruption. Officially, 20 million people live below the poverty line, but some media speak of a rate of 80%. The regime has increased the price of oil and rice fivefold, causing galloping inflation that statistics can no longer hide.
According to government expert Mehdi Pazouki, inflation is out of control and leaders have lost their ability to resolve banking problems. The Iranian regime faces a huge amount of circulating cash, a time bomb about to explode. For a sixth consecutive year, inflation exceeds 40%, but if we take into account “accumulated inflation”, which depletes citizens’ savings and valuable assets, it reaches 100%. Other challenges await the regime, such as the pension fund crisis, land subsidence and looming water shortage.
Iranian society is increasingly divided, with a razor-thin minority of wealthy people and the vast majority living in poverty. The new generation, nicknamed the “2000s generation,” is rebellious, mainly due to endemic poverty. The middle class has merged into the lower class, creating a social class fully aware of its precariousness. All the elements seem to have come together for a major and potentially exterminating uprising.
Faced with this implacable reality, a question arises: can the regime survive a final confrontation? It is impossible to know what will happen in the future, but one thing is certain: the determination of the Iranian people to free themselves from religious dictatorship is stronger than ever. The theocratic regime must hear this message loud and clear: the time of freedom is approaching and no repression can silence the voice of justice.