What to make of Iran’s demonstrations
NOVANEWS
By Mazda Majidi
People march in support of the Islamic Revolution, Tehran, Dec. 30
Anti-government protesters set garbage cans on fire, Tehran, Dec. 30
Starting Dec. 28, 2017, Iran has witnessed anti-government protests in several cities and towns. The character and the demands of the demonstrations have varied greatly and seem to have already evolved over the course of a few days. From the beginning, Iranian government officials have stated that people have a right to demonstrate, but that acts of sabotage and violence would be dealt with forcefully.
The first few protests focused mainly on economic issues. Demonstrations were peaceful and marched down streets chanting slogans. These initial protests seemed to occur without major incidents. From there, some of the ma...