{"id":7129,"date":"2019-11-21T16:56:32","date_gmt":"2019-11-21T13:56:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/?p=7129"},"modified":"2021-06-06T09:57:32","modified_gmt":"2021-06-06T06:57:32","slug":"gasoline-riots-in-iran-expose-deep-political-rifts-and-potential-regime-instability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/monitoring-and-translation\/reports\/gasoline-riots-in-iran-expose-deep-political-rifts-and-potential-regime-instability\/","title":{"rendered":"Gasoline Riots in Iran Expose Deep Political Rifts and Potential Regime Instability"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This past week, riots in Iran over increases in gasoline\nprices have exposed widening internal tensions in the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tensions started when Iran\u2019s President Hassan Rouhani&nbsp;accused the \u201chardliners\u201d of massive corruption. The Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei supports the \u201chardliners\u201d in Iran and their latest anti-corruption campaign against Rouhani\u2019s camp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The campaign targets pro-Rouhani politicians and department managers but according to Iran\u2019s president, it is the \u201chardliners\u201d who are involved in major corruption scandals in Iran. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fight between the two camps has turned personal. Iran\u2019s head of the judiciary Ebrahim Raisi, who is in charge of the country\u2019s anti-corruption witch-hunt, has suggested that Rouhani is unhappy with the <a href=\"https:\/\/aftabnews.ir\/fa\/news\/621524\/%D8%B1%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%B3%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%AE%DB%8C-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B5-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%86%D8%AF-%D9%BE%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87%E2%80%8C%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%81%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B6%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B4%D9%86%D8%AF-%D9%85%D9%87%D9%85-%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B3%D8%AA\">corruption<\/a> files piling up against his team of supporters. Rouhani\u2019s brother was recently convicted in a corruption case&nbsp; for which he received a five-year jail sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) which is loyal to the supreme leader recently disclosed that those who have been charged with corruption but have fled the country&nbsp;would be arrested and <a href=\"https:\/\/zeitoons.com\/69325\">prosecuted <\/a>. This includes the likes of Rasoul Danielzadeh, a business partner of Rouhani\u2019s convicted brother Hossein Fereydoun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tasnimnews.com\/fa\/news\/1398\/08\/20\/2138009\/%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%82-%D8%A2%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%82%D8%A7%DA%86%D8%A7%D9%82-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7-%D8%B4%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D8%B1%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%B3-%DA%A9%D9%84-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%82-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%DA%A9-%D9%85%D8%B1%DA%A9%D8%B2%DB%8C-%D9%85%D9%85%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AE%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AC-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA\">Central Bank<\/a>\u2019s former head under Rouhani, Valiollah Seif, is also barred from leaving the country as he is&nbsp;charged with&nbsp; ignoring massive corruption at the bank.&nbsp;The judiciary has meanwhile promised to look into the astronomical salaries that Rouhani\u2019s managers receive. It alleges&nbsp;that Iran\u2019s free trade zones, run by Rouhani\u2019s managers, have turned into hubs for the trafficking of goods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rouhani has since lashed out by suggesting that \u201chardliners\u201d may have stolen 2.7 billion dollars of Iran\u2019s oil <a href=\"https:\/\/aftabnews.ir\/fa\/news\/621346\/%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%DB%B2-%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%BE%D9%88%D9%84-%D9%86%D9%81%D8%AA-%DA%86%D9%87-%D8%B4%D8%AF-%D9%BE%D8%B4%D8%AA-%D9%BE%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%87-%DA%86%D9%87-%DA%A9%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF-%D9%85%DB%8C%E2%80%8C%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C%D9%85-%D8%AD%D9%82%D9%88%D9%82%E2%80%8C%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%86%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87%E2%80%8C%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D9%88-%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%82%E2%80%8C%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%85%7C-%D8%A7%DA%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%85%D8%B4%DA%A9%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%AD%D8%B3-%DA%A9%D9%86%D9%85-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%85-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%85-%DA%AF%D9%81%D8%AA\">revenues<\/a> in the past few years as well as the interest on the money. Iran\u2019s\u00a0 \u201chardliners\u201d have rejected the charge, and claim that Iran\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tasnimnews.com\/fa\/news\/1398\/08\/20\/2137993\/%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-2%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D9%87-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%85%DB%8C-%D9%88-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF\">reformists<\/a>\u201d pocketed the money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the midst of the media coverage of the corruption\nwitch-hunt, the Iranian people have started major riots across the country due\nto&nbsp; gasoline price hikes in recent days.\nThe government has hiked gasoline prices to curb demand. Demand increased by\n9.7 percent last year. If demand for gasoline continues to rise, Iran will be\nforced to import gasoline by 2021. Under sanctions, Iran has no choice but to\nproduce its own gasoline and increase its price to discourage lower demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Iran\u2019s political elites have rallied to condemn the riots,\nand defend the price hike, despite their apparent differences. Though it\nappears that they are backing the Rouhani government for now, it is clear that\nrifts are growing within Iran\u2019s political ranks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To appease economic worries and to preempt further tensions in the country, Rouhani has promised to provide <a href=\"https:\/\/fararu.com\/fa\/news\/418337\/%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D9%BE%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%AA-%DA%A9%D9%85%DA%A9%E2%80%8C%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%B9%DB%8C%D8%B4%D8%AA%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B4%D9%86%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A2%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%85%DB%8C%E2%80%8C%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%86%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%87-%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%AF%D9%87%DB%8C%D9%85-%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%A8%E2%80%8C%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF%DA%A9%E2%80%8C%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF\">subsidized<\/a> aid for low to middle-income families this week. \u201cHardliners\u201d are questioning where the money will come from. The aid will be distributed twice, each time to 20 million people in need across Iran. Iran\u2019s Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh has further promised to distribute the <a href=\"https:\/\/aftabnews.ir\/fa\/news\/621705\/%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%AF-%D9%A3%D9%A1-%D9%87%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD-%D9%86%D8%B1%D8%AE-%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%B2%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%88%D8%B2%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D9%86%D9%81%D8%AA-%D9%BE%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%B2%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%B7-%D9%88-%D8%B6%D8%B9%DB%8C%D9%81-%D9%85%DB%8C%E2%80%8C%D8%AF%D9%87%DB%8C%D9%85\">money<\/a> from higher gasoline prices among the poor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To stop the riots, the government has sh<a href=\"https:\/\/fararu.com\/fa\/news\/418324\/%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B4%D8%A8-%DA%AF%D8%B0%D8%B4%D8%AA%D9%87-%DA%86%D9%87-%D8%AA%D8%BA%DB%8C%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA\">ut down<\/a> access to the worldwide web&nbsp;across Iran, though Iranians are still able to access local Iran-based cyber networks to carry out day-to-day business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered full public compliance with the government\u2019s decision&nbsp; to raise <a href=\"https:\/\/fararu.com\/fa\/news\/418248\/%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%85-%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%81%D8%B8-%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%88%D8%B8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%81-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%AF-%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84-%DA%A9%D9%86%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87%D8%A7-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%85-%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%88%D9%84%DB%8C-%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B3%D8%AA\">gasoline<\/a> prices, insisting that the latest riots are not a popular uprising but a result of pre-planned tensions aiming to cause instability in Iran. He went on to attack the followers of Iran\u2019s former monarchical regime, the Pahlavis, and the opposition group the Mujahedeen Khalq Organization (MEK), for using social media to stir <a href=\"https:\/\/fararu.com\/fa\/news\/418248\/%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%85-%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%81%D8%B8-%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%88%D8%B8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%81-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%AF-%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84-%DA%A9%D9%86%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87%D8%A7-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%85-%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%88%D9%84%DB%8C-%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B3%D8%AA\">riots<\/a> in Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For now, the supreme leader\u2019s position has forced 12 \u201chardline\u201d members of Iran\u2019s Parliament to&nbsp;withdraw their demands to question and potentially<a href=\"https:\/\/fararu.com\/fa\/news\/418295\/%D9%85%D8%AA%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%84-%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%86%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%AF%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%B2%DB%8C%D9%86\"> impeach<\/a> Rouhani for economic mismanagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But signs indicate that followers of the supreme leader, led by Raisi, are getting ready to take charge of the <a href=\"https:\/\/fararu.com\/fa\/news\/418300\/%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%DB%8C%D9%85-%D8%B1%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%B3%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%B3%D9%87%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%87%E2%80%8C%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%B2%DB%8C%D9%86\">economy<\/a> and run the country themselves, a move that could isolate Rouhani further. Raisi has been directly tasked by the supreme leader to set up a <a href=\"https:\/\/fararu.com\/fa\/news\/418300\/%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%DB%8C%D9%85-%D8%B1%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%B3%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%B3%D9%87%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%87%E2%80%8C%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%B2%DB%8C%D9%86\">committee<\/a> designed to gather trusted state managers and provincial politicians to find ways of enforcing gasoline rationing across the country, and regulate the economy before riots lead to government instability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This past week, riots in Iran over increases in gasoline prices have exposed widening internal tensions in the country. The tensions started when Iran\u2019s President Hassan Rouhani&nbsp;accused the \u201chardliners\u201d of massive corruption. The Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei supports the \u201chardliners\u201d in Iran and their latest anti-corruption campaign against Rouhani\u2019s camp. The campaign targets pro-Rouhani politicians [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":7124,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7129","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7129"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9311,"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7129\/revisions\/9311"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasanah-iiis.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}