Street protests in Iran are about public enrage with the economy but effect not signal a downfall of the reformist governmentShortly after Christmas,conservative opponents of the reformist Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, andganised a small demonstration in the city of Mashhad. The protests rapidly spiralled out of control,spreading across the country. No one should be surprised by this explain of deep dissatisfaction and enrage – a cocktail of poverty and unemployment mixes headily with the ability to be connected to the outside world thanks to satellite TV and social media.
For many external critics of the Islamic republic, these protests offered a glimpse at the possibility of regime change in Iran, or were gleefully received. The leader of the free world flexed his Twitter digits and obscure opposition groups raced to record YouTube messages.
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Source: guardian.co.uk