Iran’s regime is terrified of the growing momentum inside the country for bringing about regime change. But the regime’s use of executions and repression is proving increasingly futile in breaking the spirit of resistance across the country. This is evident in the growing activities of Iran’s defiant youth, who are targeting the regime’s repressive forces and centers for execution and state-backed thievery to send a clear message that they will not be intimidated by the regime’s violent measures.
On January 25, rebellious youth in Zahedan targeted a regime suppressive center in solidarity with the impoverished people of the Ahmad Abad, whose homes were violently destroyed by the regime’s security forces on January 21.
On January 24, the youths in Kermanshah targeted one of the complexes of the regime’s criminal judiciary, which has been carrying out a growing wave of executions, with hundreds of hangings in the past few months, including the executions of several political prisoners and protesters.
On January 23, following the execution of political prisoners Mohammad Ghobadlou and Farhad Salimi, rebellious youths in Yazd targeted the judiciary’s Ghodoosi Complex. On the same day, youths in Zahak, Sistan and Baluchestan province, targeted a building of the criminal judiciary. These actions send the message that the regime cannot silence dissent and protests with its brutal use of executions.
In the past week, the rebellious youths targeted several Basij bases. In Zarabad, Sistan and Baluchestan province, rebellious youths set fire to the entrance sign of a Basij base. In Tehran, explosions were heard in two Basij bases.
On January 22, rebellious youth in Tabriz targeted an IRGC Basij with explosions in solidarity with porters (kolbars) in Kermanshah who were targeted by regime forces on January 20. The Basij is the paramilitary arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) which is tasked with the repression of anti-regime protests. The regime has set up Basij bases in neighborhoods to spy on residents, identify dissidents, and crack down on demonstrations. The Basij has played a key role in the killing of protesters during anti-regime protests.
These activities are taking place despite the regime’s extensive efforts to suppress any form of protest and dissent. The regime has carried out a record number of executions in the final months of 2023 and has started 2024 with another violent wave of executions. In particular, the regime has carried out an alarming number of political executions, hanging youths who took part in nationwide uprisings in recent years and political prisoners who have been lingering in prisons for several years.
The regime is also trying to spread fear and terror by carrying out violent punishments. The regime recently amputated the hand of a man charged with theft and plans to gouge the eyes of a protester who is charged with blinding a security officer who had attacked him during peaceful protests in 2018. The regime also carried out the flogging sentence of a woman who had allegedly violated the misogynistic hijab rules imposed by the ruling mullahs.
But as the actions of the rebellious youth show, no amount of repressive measures will dissuade the people of Iran will from their goal to overthrow the regime and establish a democratic republic.
