Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, July 27, 2021—While Iran’s regime is rallying all its troops and resources to quell protests that began in Khuzestan over water shortages, demonstrations continue to spread to more and more cities.
On Monday, in addition to Khuzestan, protests were reported in Tehran, Alborz, and Kermanshah provinces.
Due to a severe internet blackout imposed by the regime, very few photos and videos are coming out of Khuzestan. But according to reports by locals, protests continued in several locations and protesters clashed with security forces that were dispatched to quell the protests.
But in other provinces, protests raged against the regime and in solidarity with the people of Khuzestan. In Tehran, a large rally was held on Jomhuri Street with protesters chanting calling for regime change. The protesters were calling on Ali Khamenei, the regime’s supreme leader, to relinquish his hold on power. “Khamenei, have shame and let go of the state,” the protesters were chanting. The protesters also condemned the regime’s policy to squander the country’s resources on expensive and violent terrorist interventions in neighboring countries.
In Kermanshah, people held rallies in support of Khuzestan. Security forces opened fire to disperse the demonstrations. Similar protests were held in Kermanshah in the past few days.
In Kermanshah’s Shahrak-e Mahdiyeh district, the locals blocked a road. Security forces opened fire on the protesters.
Kermanshah, western #Iran
People are in the streets rallying in support of Khuzestan province. These protests are gaining momentum across the country.#IranProtests #خوزستان_تنها_نیست pic.twitter.com/38VdXkfdQv— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) July 26, 2021
Large protests were also reported in Karaj, west of Tehran, where the people gathered after sundown in solidarity with the people of Khuzestan.
In some parts of the city, the people were chanting, “From Karaj to Khuzestan, unity, unity.”
In Fardis district, the protesters were chanting, “Iranians will rather die than live in disgrace.”
In other parts of the city, the people chanted “Down with Khamenei,” calling for the overthrow of the mullahs’ regime.
July 26 – Karaj, west of Tehran, #Iran
Protesters chanting:
"Down with the dictator!" referring to the regime's supreme leader Ali Khamenei.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/5PpmUrdCjS— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) July 26, 2021
Protests are happening in other provinces as well, but due to internet outages, reports are hard to obtain.
The regime’s state-run media are warning about the implications of the expanding protests, especially in the capital. The regime is worried that such protests will reignite the feelings of discontent that have been held in check only in check through brutal repression.
Regarding the protests in Tehran, Hamdeli Daily wrote on Tuesday, “Some people enter these protests with political motives… and are leading the protests toward political goals and slogans against the political establishment.”
Fars News Agency, which is run by the Revolutionary Guards, wrote, “In the Jomhuri Street market, after the electricity was cut off, merchants rallied and protested. Several people tried to sway the protests toward political goals.”
Regime officials are also warning of infrastructural problems that can lead to protests in other cities. Mohammad Taghi Naqdali, a member of the regime’s Majlis (parliament), raised concerns about the consequences of the water crisis that led to the Khuzestan uprising and has spread to other cities.
According to the ICANA news agency, on July 26, Naqdali said, “In Isfahan there is a serious crisis and fire under the ashes… See the situation of farmers and ranchers in front of Isfahan Governor's Office since yesterday. Today, Khuzestan, despite having several billion or more than 10 billion cubic meters of water behind the dams, is experiencing the crisis that we are witnessing.
“What is happening to Khuzestan’s people, but I have a question, the people of Isfahan with a population of 5.5 million people with more than 300 million cubic meters of water behind the Zayandehrud dam are facing a crisis and fire under the ashes!
“It has been two months since two crises like the Khuzestan’s crisis have come to pass in Isfahan. Seven- to eight-thousand farmers moved to Bon Borujen project. If it was not for the plan of the MPs and officials to convince the farmers, it would have led to a crisis like the crisis in Khuzestan. Today, there is still a crisis. From yesterday, look at the situation of the farmers in front of the Isfahan’s governorate office of,”
