The Guardian view on Iran's protests: old tactics of repression face new pressures | Editorial

Iran's protests pose a significant challenge to the regime, with old tactics of repression facing new pressures. The demonstrations, sparked by rising inflation and a currency crash, have evolved into a broader movement demanding change. Despite attempts to suppress the unrest, the regime is facing growing internal and external pressure.

The supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has initially acknowledged the legitimacy of economic demands but has since hardened his stance, blaming "saboteurs" who are allegedly seeking to please US President Donald Trump. This shift in rhetoric highlights the regime's vulnerability, as it struggles to maintain control amid widespread discontent.

Iran's economic woes have created a perfect storm, with the country facing severe inflation and a tanking currency. The regime's response has been heavy-handed, with dozens of protesters reportedly killed, including children. The use of force has only intensified the protests, with participants explicitly demanding the fall of the regime.

The international community is watching with growing concern, as the situation in Iran continues to deteriorate. US President Trump's threat to intervene and "hit hard" if more protesters died has emboldened some Iranian citizens, who see themselves as fighting for their rights against a corrupt and unresponsive regime.

However, analysts warn that external intervention could have unintended consequences, potentially leading to an entrenchment of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps's power. Iran's defence council has signaled its willingness to take preemptive military action if it perceives a threat from the US and Israel, further heightening tensions in the region.

Ultimately, the crisis in Iran highlights the need for a nuanced approach that balances support for legitimate grievances with caution against further destabilization. As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: there can be no easy exit for either the regime or those seeking to help. The stakes are high, and the consequences of failure could be catastrophic.
 
omg the situation in iran is super worrying πŸ€• like what's up with their economy?? inflation & currency crash is crazy! i dont think trump's threat is gonna make a diff tho πŸ™„ either way its bad for everyone involved, especially iranian ppl who just wanna live decent lives πŸ’”. can we just have a global economy that works without all the drama? 🀞 i feel like external intervention could b worse than the problem they got now 🚫 at least if ppl are dying in protests it's not an excuse 4 governments to mess w/ iran
 
I'm thinking we've been here before πŸ€”... remember when Egypt's protests led to Mubarak stepping down? It's dΓ©jΓ  vu all over again in Iran 🌎. These protests aren't just about economics; they're about people wanting a better life and demanding change. The regime is trying to silence them, but it's only fueling the fire πŸ”₯.

I'm curious, what do you think about the role of social media in these protests? It seems like it's playing a huge part in spreading awareness and mobilizing people... just like it did during Arab Spring πŸ“±. And now we're seeing some similarities with Turkey too 🀝...
 
man... this iran situation is like a never-ending paradox 🀯 it's like the regime is caught between its own repression and the people's desire for change, and that's creating this toxic feedback loop where both sides just keep escalating the violence πŸ’₯ but at the same time, you can't help but feel for these protesters who are just trying to make their voices heard in a system that's supposed to be serving them πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ it's like, what's the real cost of change here? is it worth risking the lives of dozens of people, or is it better to just keep living with this toxic status quo that's slowly suffocating the country? and then there's this whole thing with trump wanting to intervene... like, is he really trying to help or is he just stirring up more chaos? πŸ€” i don't know, but one thing's for sure, we need to be careful about how we approach this situation because at the end of the day, everyone involved is gonna lose πŸ’”
 
I don't usually comment but... the way Iran's protests have evolved from a specific economic issue to a full-blown movement demanding change is really inspiring 🀩. It shows that people aren't just reacting to their immediate problems but are also looking for a bigger transformation.

The use of force by the regime is, of course, unacceptable and should be condemned πŸ’”. But at the same time, I don't think it's entirely fair to blame Trump for emboldening protesters without considering the complex history and context behind Iran's current struggles 🀯.

It's also interesting to see how external powers are weighing in on this situation, but as one analyst said, we need a nuanced approach that balances supporting legitimate grievances with caution against destabilization 🀝. This crisis highlights the complexity of regional conflicts and the need for a thoughtful response from the international community πŸ’‘.
 
I'm getting worried about Iran πŸ€•, the protests are like a ticking time bomb and I don't think the regime has a clue on how to diffuse it πŸ”₯. They're just making things worse with their heavy-handed approach πŸ’”. And let's not forget the international community is watching πŸ‘€, if they intervene too hard, it could backfire and make things even more complicated 🀯. What we need is some kind of diplomatic solution that addresses the legitimate grievances without escalating the situation πŸ”Œ.
 
OMG, have you seen these stats on Iran protests? 🀯 75% of Iranians think the current government is corrupt and ineffective πŸ‘Ž Meanwhile, only 12% trust the system's ability to address their economic concerns πŸ˜” The regime's repression tactics are literally backfiring - we've got 50+ protesters killed in the past month, with more dying every day πŸ’€ Inflation is through the roof (85%+ increase in the past year), and the currency is tanking πŸ“‰ Whoa, just saw that Iran's GDP contracted by 8.3% in Q2... this economic crisis is real πŸ€•
 
I'm still trying to wrap my head around this... I mean, I've been following the news from afar, but it's crazy how quickly things escalated 🀯. I feel bad for all the innocent people who got caught in the crossfire - those kids who were killed are just heartbreaking πŸ˜”. It's like, what's the point of having a government if they're not even going to address the basic needs of their citizens? The whole thing with Trump's threat is wild too... I don't know how much more pressure the regime can take 🀯. But at the same time, you gotta wonder about the consequences of all this - are we really just making things worse for everyone involved? πŸ€”
 
omg this situation in iran is soooo concerning 🀯 i mean its not just about economics anymore, its a full-blown social movement and the gov is trying to squash it with force but that's only making things worse πŸ™…β€β™€οΈ what if they really do take preemptive military action tho? that would be like totally catastrophic 😱 and whats up with trump saying he'd "hit hard" if more protesters died? does he actually think thats gonna help or just make the situation worse? πŸ€” i dont get why ppl in iran are even still protesting despite all the risks πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ
 
πŸ€” this whole thing is gonna blow up in everyone's face... Iran's protests are just a symptom of a larger problem, the regime's corrupt and they've been hiding behind their oil money for too long πŸ€‘. The fact that Khamenei is blaming Trump for everything now is just ridiculous, it's like he thinks the US is gonna bail him out when things get tough πŸ’Έ. Newsflash, Iran: you can't just suppress dissent forever, eventually someone's gonna have to take a stand against this oppressive regime πŸ”₯. And what about all those kids who got killed by the security forces? That's just unacceptable 😒. It's time for some real change in that country, but I'm not holding my breath πŸ™„.
 
πŸ€” This whole situation in Iran is super messy πŸŒͺ️. Like, I get that people are fed up with their economy, but all this violence is just gonna make things worse πŸ’£. And now Trump's all over it, threatening to hit them hard? That's just gonna escalate the situation πŸš€. I mean, can't they just talk it out or something? πŸ˜’ The international community should be careful not to just throw more fuel on the fire πŸ”₯. It's like, we want Iran to have a stable government and stuff, but how are they gonna get there if everyone's just jumping around? πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ Maybe they need some guidance from someone who actually knows what they're doing? πŸ€“
 
** worried face πŸ€”**

Iran's protests are getting out of hand... the visuals alone are heartbreaking πŸ“ΈπŸ’”. Think of a tree with deep roots: each protest makes it harder for the regime to cut off the branches without causing more damage. The more they suppress, the stronger the movement gets. It's like drawing a circle around the problem - just moving it to another area doesn't make it go away.

A simple Venn diagram might look something like this:
```
Regime's Power | Protests' Pressure
--------------|-------------------
-> Repression | -> Economic Grievances
<- Internal | <- External Pressure
|
v
Entrenchment | -> New Forms of Resistance
```
It's a complex web, and external intervention could make things worse. A more nuanced approach is needed - supporting the protesters while avoiding unintended consequences. It's like trying to find the perfect balance in a seesaw: if one side goes too far up, the other will go down...
 
πŸ€• my heart goes out to all those protesting in Iran, it's so scary for them to stand up against their government, especially when they're facing such harsh repression. I can imagine how frustrating it must be to deal with rising inflation and a crashing currency while the powers that be seem to be more interested in keeping control than helping their people.

It's not just the Iranians who are watching this situation closely - we are all watching, because what's happening there could have far-reaching consequences for everyone. Let's hope that somehow, someway, a peaceful resolution can be found, one that doesn't involve bloodshed or more suffering.

The international community needs to keep speaking out and supporting the Iranian people in their pursuit of freedom and human rights. We need to recognize that this isn't just about Iran - it's about all of us, because we're all connected by our shared humanity. πŸ’–
 
🀬 what's going on in Iran? they're gonna crash their own economy & kill their own people over this inflation & currency thing. it's not like the US is gonna intervene or anything. i mean trump already said he wouldn't get involved, so who's gonna stop them then? πŸ€‘
 
"Power tends to concentrate in the hands of a few and over time it becomes clear that even the best of intentions will ultimately be perverted into the service of state power." 😬πŸ’₯
 
I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole Iran situation 🀯. It's crazy how much things have escalated so quickly - I mean, I've been following these protests for a while now, but it feels like just yesterday they were just about the economy and now it's full-blown regime change vibes 😱. The thing that really gets me is how the government is trying to shift the blame onto the protesters, saying it's all part of some US plot πŸ™„. Like, come on, can't they see that this isn't about external forces, it's about their own policies failing? It's just so... frustrating 😀. I'm not sure what the solution is at this point, but one thing for sure is that something needs to change - and fast ⏰.
 
πŸ€” This Iran crisis is getting more complicated by the day... I think we need to acknowledge that the regime's hardening stance on protesters is only fueling the fire. They're essentially pitting protesters against each other, like "us vs them" instead of addressing the root issues. It's a classic case of gaslighting and demonizing the opposition. The international community needs to tread carefully here - we don't want to embolden the hardliners or create more chaos.

The fact that Trump's threat is only making things worse is telling... it's like throwing fuel on a fire. Meanwhile, the regime is using force against innocent civilians, and that's just not right. We need to see more nuance in our response - let's focus on supporting peaceful protests and economic development, rather than getting caught up in a game of geopolitics.

It's also interesting to note how this crisis highlights the limitations of authoritarian regimes when faced with widespread discontent... they can't keep dodging the issue forever. It's time for some real change in Iran! πŸ’ͺ
 
I'm so concerned about what's happening in Iran right now πŸ˜•. It's like they're trying to quash a whole generation's desire for change with brute force. I mean, can you imagine if our protests were met with such brutality? 🀯 The economy is tanking and people are losing their minds - it's not a good place to be. The fact that some of these protesters have lost kids already makes me want to shout "that's enough" 😭.

As for Trump's threats, I don't think they're doing anyone any favors at this point πŸ™„. It's like he's fueling the fire instead of trying to put it out. And honestly, I don't know what the solution is - we can't just sit back and watch as a whole country descends into chaos 😩.

I do hope someone comes up with a plan that takes into account all these factors - the economic crisis, the desperation of the people, and the risk of external intervention πŸ€”. We need to find a way to support the Iranian people without making things worse for them or anyone else involved πŸ’‘.
 
πŸ€” I don't buy that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's "saboteurs" excuse. Sounds like a classic case of blame-shifting to me. πŸ™„ And what about all those protests going back years? Why is this one suddenly considered legitimate? πŸ€‘ Sources on the inflation and currency crash are sketchy at best, don't they? I need some concrete data on how bad things really are before I start jumping onto the "Iran needs a change" bandwagon. πŸ’Έ Also, what's up with all these analysts talking about unintended consequences? Where's their evidence? πŸ€”
 
Ugh, this Iran situation is a total mess 🀯... like, I get it, protests are never easy, but all this repression and blaming external forces just makes things worse πŸ˜’. And what's with the supreme leader's 180 on economic demands? It's like, come on, man, acknowledge your problems and start working on solutions already πŸ™„. The use of force is just gonna fuel more anger and resentment, it's not a sustainable solution to these protests at all πŸ’”.

And can we talk about how the international community is just sitting back and letting this unfold? Like, where's the leadership on this one? We need some kind of diplomatic effort to try and broker peace or something πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ. This situation could easily spiral out of control, and I'm not sure anyone wants to deal with the fallout πŸ’₯.
 
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