Opinion

Iran: soaring bread prices and another uprising?

photo_camera Irán

Iran's cities are volatile. Iran's theocracy is also in panic and facing a tense time, shutting down or slowing down the Internet in some provinces. Mullah Fazel Meybodi, told the Qom seminar, "So far, no government in the first year of power has made the people's bread more expensive with such a steep slope." This way of governing is not sustainable.

A member of the National Security Committee of the clerical regime's parliament warned that the people's tolerance threshold has reached the lowest possible level. "We must not test people's patience," he warned.

However, news and videos that have reached social networks despite censorship indicate widespread conflict. The youths attack the repressive forces with stones. Youths from the towns of Izeh, Masjed Soleyman, Susangard, etc. are chanting "Down with Khamenei!", "Down with Raissi!” (The current president).

On the other hand, the warnings within the regime itself about this explosive situation are increasing day by day. Habibi, the head of the regime's cultural radio, says that; "the situation of the system is completely volatile" and warns the directors of this media; "The current situation is such that it should not stir up protests. The slightest mistake is not forgivable and the first mistake is the last".

"Today we are facing momentary price hikes," wrote the Arman newspaper on May 9 but Khamenei's response to these warnings is to send repressive forces into volcanic towns. When the cities of Khuzestan province became volatile, he sent an army of special guards against Isfahan, Izeh, Susangard, Ahvaz and Masjed-soleyman. The disconnection of the Internet is in itself a sign of approval for the uprisings and conflicts and the conditions of the uprising.

But the question is; can Khamenei stop the uprisings and revolts with measures such as cutting off the internet, censorship, and repression?

If it were possible for him, he should not have allowed the same sparks to occur, for he knows very well that a spark can trigger an uprising in an explosive society. This is why, along with the terrible increase in the price of bread and other basic commodities, Khamenei prepared his repressive forces and deployed his agents in military and civilian uniforms into the squares and sensitive streets of the cities. Despite all this, an uprising finally took place and now slogans denying the totality of the regime have resounded from here and there.

The increase in the price of bread is even more important than increase in the prices of gasoline and water and environmental crisis. The increase in the price of bread affects the standard of living of the people. Mullah Meybodi says, "Mr. President, if the country's economy is not organized and inflation is not contained, there will be no revolution. You have to wait for the hunger strike, the uprising is more dangerous than the revolution."

On the other hand, the significant intensification of protests such as the teachers' demonstrations since the beginning of the Iranian year (March 21, 2022) until today, as well as the scale of resistance units such as France in the Vichy era, and their operations such as the burning of the statue of Qassem Soleimani, Icon of the Iranian bellicose policy and the infiltration of the servers of Iranian television which is the lever of Khamenei's repression across the country are signs of an uprising. The society is on a gunpowder barrel and at any moment, it’s ready to explode.

The state-run newspaper Arman dated May 9, warns that the danger is grave and that something must be done because; "we are all sitting in the same boat, and if it is punctured, none of us will survive."