TEHRAN -
As protests in Iran enter their third week, opinions vary about the extent of the participation of "younger youth" and the reasons behind them and their influence on them.
Eyewitnesses say that the participation of young people under the age of 25 in the recent protests exceeds the participation of other age groups, and perhaps this is what made the reminder of the presence of the young generation at official occasions the top statements of politicians in this regard, as well as their unanimity to describe the protesters as "rebels" and the protests By "riots".
In this context, Iranian Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi said that the youth have been present during the past four decades in deterring "terrorist and separatist groups."
On the other hand, Iranian politicians believe that the veil and the case of the death of the young woman, Mahsa Amini, while she was detained by the morality police in Tehran are not the reason for the outbreak of the protests, stressing that "foreign planning and support for what is happening."
On the other hand, Iranian sociologists point out that the case of Mahsa Amini's death sparked an accumulation of grumbling among Iranian youth.
In this regard, sociologist and university professor Abdel Reda Nawah explained that the new generation cannot be restricted to a specific ideology, and he attributed this - in his speech to Al Jazeera Net - to the penetration of globalization among the new generation, adding that the change in the young generation is not limited to the issue of the veil, but rather constitutes Other angles of youth's life.
Noah explained the remarkable presence of young people in these protests compared to previous times, with the spread of the Corona pandemic at the time, which caused disruption to attendance in universities and schools, as young people stayed in their homes more than before, which contributed to their presence on social media platforms and their communication with the world more broadly, so They are now demanding individuality and broader freedom, according to him.
Observers said that the protest is not against the hijab per se, but rather against the imposition of its wearing (European)
hijab protest
Many ask whether the protesting girls in Iran reject the idea of the veil or refuse to impose it on them?
In this regard, the Iranian sociologist pointed to the participation of women who wear the veil - in the manner requested by the morality police - in the protests, stressing that Iranian women are demanding freedom to wear the veil or abandon it.
For his part, political analyst Ahmed Zaidabadi said - in an interview with Al Jazeera Net - that "young people are not familiar with Islam and its laws on which the ruling political system in Iran says it is based," and adds that "this generation rose up against the laws and the reality that contradicts its right to choose its style." life, its clothing, and its relations.
Education Responsibility
And based on the fact that the younger generation received education in the Islamic Republic’s curricula, unlike the previous generation that was educated in the “Shahnshah regime”;
Political researcher Abbas Abdi believes that the educational system in the Islamic Republic is a "failure".
Abdi told Al Jazeera Net that "the educational system in Iran is trying to create a religious society, while the new generation has moved away from religion because of this educational system."
Referring to Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi’s speech at the United Nations Education Development Conference, about his country’s rejection of the UNESCO document for the “Sustainable Development Plan for 2030,” Abdi said that Iran had not presented an alternative to this document, calling on the concerned authorities to provide a realistic and partial explanation of their educational and educational policy instead. of total speech.
For his part, Abdul Reza Nawah - in his speech to Al Jazeera Net - considered that what he described as the "ideological educational system" in Iran is closed, while today's students have a vision beyond the educational curriculum.
In this context, Noah said, "The authorities are misdefining the idea of self-sufficiency, and they want to make the country like an island cut off from the world, and this is not possible," stressing the need to reduce the ruling ideology's dominance over education.
Iranian analysts warn against ignoring protesters' demands (Anatolia)
Facing the protests
From a political point of view, political analyst Ahmed Zaidabadi believes that the protests in Iran are a "rebellion of the young generation cut off from official authorities", and that these young people see themselves as strangers to the political system, and vice versa.
He continued - in his speech to Al-Jazeera Net - that "in addition to the absence of means of linking between two strange groups, this youth movement does not have a leadership, so it is difficult to negotiate with it."
On how the authorities deal with the protesters, Zaidabadi warned against ignoring their demands, stressing that if they are not contained, they will turn into a threat.
In this context, the authorities' response to the protesters was considered the best way to maintain security and stability in society.
With regard to addressing the reasons by the authorities and not repeating these objections, Zaidabadi said that “the authorities in Iran should reconsider the government’s performance and duties,” and stressed in this context “the need to restore the people’s confidence to participate in political and social issues, taking into account equality and without discrimination.” interfering with their privacy.
In turn, sociologist Ali Reza Sharifi stressed the need to recognize different ways of life, criticizing "the imposition of a certain way of life on a society that includes a large group that rejects the ruling reading of life."
On the other hand, Sharifi stressed "the necessity of containing young people by the authorities in such cases, instead of cutting off the Internet, or describing some officials to the protesters as foreign agents, and asking some currents close to the authorities to confront the protesters decisively," considering this method infuriating the youth. .
On the other hand, the conservative intellectual movement close to the Iranian government praises the way the authorities confront the opposition, as political analyst Abdullah Metwallyan considered - in an article in the newspaper "Joan" - that what is happening in Iran is the result of the exploitation of young people by parties at home and abroad that are hostile to the revolution. As he put it, he described the protests as “sedition.”