Nationwide protests in Iran have continued into their tenth day. What initially began as trade-based strikes and limited gatherings has now turned into a broad wave of diverse forms of protest. This protest movement has not retreated in the face of pressure from repressive forces; rather, it has demonstrated new forms of resistance and organization.
Published statistics and images indicate the vast scale of this protest wave. People in more than 80 cities across 27 provinces have now joined the demonstrations. This geographic spread shows that this is not a local or regional movement, but rather a nationwide uprising rooted in the shared, objective conditions of the oppressed classes of society.
The participation of 17 universities in this protest wave is another sign of the linkage between different sectors of society in this struggle. Students who have historically played a leading role in Iran’s social movements have once again declared their solidarity with workers and the laboring classes.
To understand this protest wave, its economic foundations must be examined. Economic pressures that have weighed on the working class and oppressed layers for decades have now reached a critical and unbearable stage. Repeated currency shocks, chronic market instability, and the continuous decline in purchasing power have turned everyday livelihood for millions of Iranian households into a nightmare.
What distinguishes this protest wave from many previous strikes and demonstrations is its qualitative transformation from economic and trade-related demands into political demands. Protests that began among Tehran’s merchants in response to currency fluctuations quickly evolved into a broad movement that questions not only economic conditions, but the entire ruling political structure.
This shift shows that Iran’s oppressed classes and social layers are no longer satisfied with superficial reforms or empty promises. They have reached the conclusion that the economic crises paralyzing their lives are rooted in religious despotism and exploitative capitalism. Fundamental change in people’s living conditions is not possible without confronting and moving beyond both of these pillars of the existing system.
The regime’s response to these peaceful protests has been the same response it has given to all protest movements over the past four decades: violent and bloody repression. Shooting protesters and carrying out mass arrests are all the regime currently has to silence the people’s voice.
Over the past ten days of protests, at least 29 protesters have been killed and more than 1,000 people arrested. These figures, which are likely lower than the real numbers, present a grim picture of the cost people are paying to demand their rights.
What is notable, however, is the persistence of the protests despite this widespread repression. The heavy presence of police and security forces in the streets, the use of military weapons, and the suffocating security atmosphere have failed to reduce the geographic spread of the protests. This reality shows that people are no longer afraid of repression and are prepared to pay a price for a better future.
One of the most prominent features of this protest wave is the diversity of protest tactics. From the complete shutdown of shops in cities such as Tehran, Karaj, Marvdasht, Kazerun, and Bandar Gonaveh, to street gatherings in dozens of other cities and student demonstrations at universities, all indicate that Iranian society is learning and employing multiple methods of resistance.
This diversity not only makes repression more difficult for the regime, but also enables the participation of different segments of society. Workers, students, merchants, small shopkeepers, each can take part in this struggle according to their own circumstances.
This protest wave stands at a critical juncture. On the one hand, its breadth, persistence, and diversity demonstrate a potential capacity to become a powerful, transformative force in society. On the other hand, the lack of a unified and organized leadership may hinder the realization of this potential.
Under such conditions, the task of socialist and leftist forces is to help organize this spontaneous movement and connect its various demands into a single, revolutionary program. Protesters must be shown that their economic crisis is rooted in the ruling capitalist system, and that the solution lies not in changing individual rulers, but in a fundamental transformation of economic and political structures.
The ongoing protests in Iran are a sign of the awakening and resistance of oppressed classes against exploitation and repression. This movement, born out of economic crises, has rapidly turned into a political movement with fundamental demands.
Despite bloody repression, the people have demonstrated their resilience and, through diverse forms of struggle, continue to insist on the continuation of their protests.
