An American expert: The demonstrations are fierce in opposition to the Tehran regime

Popular fears fuel protests over the killing of Mahsa Amini in Iran

• A group of protesters in Tehran who were dispersed by security forces.

  AFP

• Ibrahim Raisi does not show any interest in the observations of the West.

  Reuters

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Iranian-American analyst Ray Taqieh believes that despite the widespread protests sparked by the death of the girl, Mahsa Amini, while she was detained in an Iranian police station, after she was arrested for violating the dress code, the speech of the country's president, Ibrahim Raisi, at the General Assembly of the United Nations indicates Finally, the United States indicates that the regime is unlikely to soften its attitude toward the people or the West.

These demonstrations should still be seen as part of an ongoing series of protests, which relate to a wide range of concerns, Taqiah, an expert at the US Council on Foreign Relations, said in a report.

In just the past few months, Iran has been rocked by economic grievance-driven demonstrations involving teachers, retirees and farmers, among other groups.

Taqieh, who previously worked at the US State Department, added that protests against the economic situation have become chronic in Iran, as the government reduced support for social services in light of the high rate of inflation.

Such protests are increasingly taking on a political turn, as the regime seeks to tighten its grip on power.

Stricter application

Last August, President Raisi signed a decree requiring stricter enforcement of the rules requiring women to wear a headscarf at all times in public life, rules that have been in place since 1979.

The move was widely accepted by the clergy, who now control Iranian institutions, whose members are elected or appointed, as a restoration of cultural norms that seemed to be fading.

In this context, Raisi, during his participation in the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, declined to attend an interview with CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour, after she refused his request to wear a headscarf.

He added that Iranian women have participated in previous protests, but what is remarkable about these protests is the ferocity in opposing the regime's policies.

Famous Iranian women cut their hair to protest the killing of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

The government usually deals with these protests through a mixture of measures.

In this case, the Iranian president spoke with Amini's family and called for an investigation to determine the cause of her death. A representative of the Iranian leader, Ali Khamenei, also visited her family, although Amini's father accused the regime of covering up the incident.

At the same time, the regime moved quickly to try to contain the demonstrations by arresting protest leaders and shutting down social media platforms that, in the regime's view, are a means for the protests to spread.

A police chief announced that more than 739 rioters, including 60 women, had been arrested.

According to Iranian state television, the protests left at least 41 people dead.

The Iran International news website reported that the protesters chanted, "Death to the dictator, death to Khamenei."

The most recent step by the authorities was the organization of a counter-demonstration, in which supporters of the regime participated, last Friday.

No regard for the sensibilities of the West

Raisi and other leaders in the Iranian regime are indifferent to the sensibilities of the West.

In his speech to the UN General Assembly, Raisi condemned Canada's treatment of indigenous people, for example, and accused Western countries of applying double standards on human rights.

No member of the US delegation to the United Nations withdrew during a major speech, as US diplomats did in previous UN speeches by Iranian leaders.

US President Joe Biden and other Western leaders condemned the actions of the Iranian morality police, and the US Treasury announced new sanctions against these police personnel.

In his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, Raisi also said that Tehran would not return to the 2015 nuclear deal without guarantees from Washington that it would not be suspended again.

In addition, Iranian officials have insisted that the IAEA's concerns about illegal nuclear material found at three sites are unfounded, and the agency's investigation should be closed.

And the latest report from the International Atomic Energy Agency indicates that Iran continues to add advanced centrifuges to its stockpile of such devices, and is accumulating more enriched uranium.

The 2015 nuclear deal limited the number and types of centrifuges Iran could operate, with the aim of slowing the process of producing highly enriched uranium, which can be used in nuclear weapons.

At the conclusion of his report, Taqieh pointed out that the Iranian government has long stated that it does not seek to acquire nuclear weapons, but if the Iranian nuclear program continues to grow in size and development, it will soon be able to manufacture a nuclear bomb if Iran chooses to do so, especially since the necessary infrastructure For the production of nuclear energy and atomic weapons are suitable, and can be exploited for this purpose.

• The latest report of the International Atomic Energy Agency indicates that Iran continues to add advanced centrifuges to its stockpile of these devices, and is accumulating more enriched uranium.

• Protests against the economic situation have become chronic in Iran, as the government reduced support for social services in light of the high rate of inflation.

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