Economic Issue Political Game?
The cause, effect and consequence of Iran’s recent protests
for violating Islamic codes of dress, which antagonized conservative forces in Iran’s society and politics, with Rouhani’s deputy Eshaq Jahangiri claiming that economic issues “were being used as an excuse and that something else, behind the curtain, is going on.” Many Western media outlets also asserted that conservative backstage manipulation was responsible for the crisis, with their ultimate purpose to pressure Khamenei to force Rouhani to step down.
With both conservatives and reformists capitalizing on the protests as a chance to bash the other, no action was taken to control the situation at first, and the protests quickly spilled over to other cities while turning increasingly political in nature. Slogans at the demonstrations twisted against the government.
The main participants were young people aged 18 to 35. Among this group, sentiment toward the authorities is fraught. Many were born in the years after the IranIraq War and have mostly received a better education than their forebears. However, in a country which has for decades been stifled by U.S. sanctions, there is little space for these educated young people to fulfill their ambitions. Although the nuclear deal reached during Rouhani’s first term brought the promise of improved opportunity when it was signed two years ago, little tangible progress has actually been achieved since then. In the eyes’ of young Iranians, the conservatives with their vested interests care only for political stability rather than national development, and many are skeptical about their country’s governance and disillusioned about their own futures.
Intrinsic issues
and the reformists, often make accusations and defame each other in order to win public support, particularly during general elections.
However, in recent years, the Iranian public has become increasingly dissatisfied with the authorities, with corruption, elite privileges, environmental pollution, deficiency of water resources, rising ethnic problems and the adversity of life under U.S. sanctions all contributing to general discontent. People have begun to doubt the government’s domestic and foreign policies, attributing the country’s problems to the current political system.
During the most recent general election last May, voters were not satisfied with the moderate Rouhani administration, but even so they displayed greater reluctance at the prospect of revolution, which has brought upon other countries war and chaos. A lack of an appealing alternative is essentially the reason Rouhani secured his second term.
Through joining hands with Rouhani, Iran’s reformists have dominated in national governance and have been trying to bring about economic reform. If Rouhani can successfully implement economic reform in his second term, it is likely he will also secure a reformist victory at the next general election. After securing his position, Rouhani attempted to challenge the current regime by stressing his own legitimacy, stating that his mandate to rule came from 24 million voters. His words aroused fierce criticism from the conservative camp, with Khamenei himself warning Rouhani that if he cannot prevent polarization between his supporters and opponents, he risks having to leave office.
Rouhani’s attempt to speed up economic reform has also been met with considerable domestic resistance. He put forward an industry development initiative to promote economic growth, increase employment, reform the financial system and improve conditions in order to attract more foreign investment, as well as speeding up privatization to increase the private