Opponents of Rouhani’s regime repeated similar protests to those seen in 1981, where anti-government rebels torched uprising symbols and suppressive centres of the regime on the anniversary of the September 27 uprisings. This round of protests occurred between September 22 and September 27, 2019. In 1981, defiant youths torched large posters of Ayotallah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader, at the time, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and leader of the 1979 revolution. They did the same this year to images of his successor – Ali Khamenei, as well as a number of Revolutionary Guard and Bassij bases in different cities across Iran, including capital Tehran.
Last week, the images were left on walls and overpasses of different cities, including signs with anti-government slogans such as ‘Death to Khamenei’, ‘Long live freedom and Democracy’ and ‘Freedom with Maryam Rajavi’ – the leader of the People’s Mujahedin of Iran, an organisation trying to overthrow the Iranian government.
The Iranian Revolution started in 1978 after at least five protestors in the city of Qom were killed by security forces.
It is unknown exactly how many were killed that day, as the opposition argued that the death toll was as high as 70.
The ruling Shah then oversaw more violence, culminating in the ‘Black Friday’ killing of 100 protestors by security officials on September 8, 1978.
In 1979, Khomeini arrived in Iran while the Shah and his Prime Minister fled the country amid increasing tensions, and the new Revolutionary authority executed the remaining allies of the former leader.
A referendum was then held, where 99 percent of Iranians voted to form an Islamic Republic and Khomeini became its first leader.
On September 27, 1981 youths who supported the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran demonstrated in central Tehran chanting “Death to Khomeini” for the first time since the inception of the regime.
Khomeini’s Revolutionary Guard opened fire into the crowd, killing hundreds and arresting many more. The detainees were executed on the same day.
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Rouhani however, remains defiant. He said at the UN General Assembly last Tuesday that a “single blunder” in the region could “fuel a big fire”.
Despite Iran’s repressive attitude to dissent and freedom of speech, it appears Rouhani’s sanction-fuelling aggression has driven his people to the edge.