A NUMBER OF PROTESTS HAVE BROKEN OUT IN IRAN AND IT HAS TO
DO WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
FACTORS INCLUDING THE ECONOMIC SITUATION AND SOME AGGRESSION
TOWARD THE RELIGIOUS RULE AND POLITICIANS THAT IRANIANS FEEL
HAVE RENEGED ON THEIR PROMISES.
AS SOME OF YOU MIGHT KNOW IRAN'S GOVERNMENT IS ESSENTIALLY
BROKEN INTO TWO MAIN PARTS.
THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, THEN THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OR RELIGIOUS
ESTABLISHMENT.
THE ESTABLISHMENT TELLS PEOPLE WHAT THEY CAN AND CAN'T DO,
THE MORALITY POLICE.
THE ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE THE ONES WHO CAN GET ELECTED OUT
OF OFFICE IF THEY DON'T FOLLOW THROUGH ON THEIR PROMISES.
KEEP IN MIND THE BIG DOGS, THE ONES WHO REALLY HAVE THE FINAL
SAY ARE THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS
IN THE COUNTRY.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON, INFLATION IS A
BIG PROBLEM.
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS AT 12.4%.
A LOT OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH SANCTIONS BUT SINCE LIFTING
SANCTIONS THE ECONOMY IMPROVED A
LITTLE BIT BUT THERE HAS NOW BEEN A REBOUND.
>>THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTORS HERE.
ONE, THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIVE TO THE PEOPLE.
A MODERATE CLERIC AMONG THE OTHER MODERATES CHOSE FROM DOT
IT IS ALL RELATIVE.
OF COURSE HE SAID HE WOULD VOTE FOR THE RELEASE OF PEOPLE THAT
WERE PART OF THE UPRISING IN
2009.
HE PROMISES INTO DIFFERENT ELECTIONS AND NEVER DELIVERED.
AND YOU REMEMBER THE ARAB SPRING –
THERE IS ONE OTHER ELEMENT.
THE SAUDIS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DESTABILIZE IRAN FOR QUITE SOME
TIME AND THEY ARE FIGHTING THEM IN YEMEN.
THERE WAS RECENTLY A REPORT OUT ABOUT HOW THE SAUDIS HAD
KIDNAPPED THE PRIME MINISTER OF LEBANON AND IT WAS IN THAT
GREAT NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE SAUDI
CROWN PRINCE WAS TRYING TO AGITATE PALESTINIANS TO RISE
UP AGAINST HEZBOLLAH WHICH WAS BACKED BY IRAN.
THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO AGITATE TO GET PEOPLE TO REBEL AGAINST
THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT.
I HAVE NO LOVE FOR THEIR GOVERNMENT, I WISH IRAN WOULD
HAVE A DEMOCRACY AND GET RID OF ALL OF THIS.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF FORCES AT PLAY.
I HAD FORGOTTEN THAT I SAW THAT ONE OF THE CHANTS IN THE CITY
THAT STARTED EVERYTHING WAS SHOT.
REALLY?
THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WORRIED ABOUT THE PRICE OF
EGGS THAT ARE GOING ON AND
CHANTING ABOUT DON'T SEND HELP INTO GAZA AND LEBANON.
>> I THINK THERE IS SOME FEASIBILITY TO WHAT YOU ARE
SAYING, DEFINITELY.
ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT PEOPLE IN IRAN ARE DEALING WITH THE
INFLATION, MASSIVE UNEMPLOYMENT, AND THEY ARE ALSO SEEING THEIR
RESOURCES GO TOWARD EFFORTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
THE INVOLVEMENT IN YEMEN, IRAQ.
THEY ARE IRRITATED AT THE MILITARY SPENDING.
>> I DON'T BELIEVE IT.
ARE THEY RESTLESS?
YES.
IS THE GOVERNMENT OPPRESSING THEM?
YES.
IS IT THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE THAT THEY ARE LIKE WHY ARE YOU
SPENDING ABROAD WHEN HE SHOULD BE SPENDING HERE?
OF COURSE.
BUT IN THIS CASE IT IS EXACTLY THE AGENDA OF BOTH SAUDI ARABIA
AND THE US TO SAY DON'T AGITATE HEZBOLLAH THAT CAN GO AGAINST
ISRAEL OR THE SHIA IN YEMEN.
WE JUST SAW A REPORT ABOUT HOW THE SAUDIS ARE TRYING TO
MEDDLE IN IRANIAN AFFAIRS.
IT IS JUST TOO CONVENIENT TO SAY DON'T GO TO YEMEN, GAZA, AND
LEBANON.
EGGS, THE PRICE OF BREAD, I GET IT.
THAT SEEMS LIKE WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?
>> IS IT TRUE THAT SAUDI ARABIA'S HANDS ARE IN A LOT OF
COOKIE JARS IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW OVEREXTENDED THEY ARE
IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES?
ARE THEY CONSCIOUSLY PART OF A DEMONIZING
CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAN AND SHIA?
UNDOUBTABLY.
ARE THEY MORE WITH IRAN, YEMEN, SYRIA THROUGH HEZBOLLAH AND
LEBANON AS WELL AND IRAQ TO SOME
EXTENT?
YES.
BUT THIS PROTEST IN THE CRITIQUE OF OVERSPENDING IN TERMS OF
MILITARY IS PARALLEL TO PROTESTS IN THE ENTIRE REGION.
IS THERE SOME SAVVINESS OF THE POPULATION IN REGARDS TO MAKING
THOSE LINKS?
YES, UNDOUBTABLY.
YOU SAW THIS ALSO IN SAUDI ARABIA IN 2011.
THERE WERE PROTESTS AGAINST THE RISE OF MILK WHICH WAS
SUBSIDIZED IN THE COUNTRY.
YOU SAW PEOPLE QUESTIONING WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD
– IT IS TAKING AWAY FROM THE SOCIAL SERVICES SAFETY NET.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY PART OF THE HEART OF PROTESTS
IN THE REGION.
THEY DID START THE UPRISINGS.
THIS IS THE POINT WE MAKE IN MY BOOK, MOST OF THESE MOVEMENTS
THAT CALL FOR THE OVERTHROW
STARTED WITH PROTESTING AGAINST THE RISE OF COSTS OF BREAD,
INFLATION, UNEMPLOYMENT.
THIS IS ALSO PART OF THE PROTEST AS WELL,
12.4% UNEMPLOYMENT IN IRAN.
TO GIVE PEOPLE SOME UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WESTERN
EMPLOYMENT IS, IT IS AROUND 4%.
WHEN THEY SEE AN EASING OF SANCTIONS AND NOT A CERTAIN KIND
OF PROPORTIONAL EFFECT ON THEIR ECONOMIC POSITION, I THINK THERE
IS A LOT OF FRUSTRATION, BUT I WILL ALSO SAY – I LOVE MIDDLE
EASTERN POLITICS – SAUDI ARABIA AND IRAN ARE SO MUCH ALIKE.
1979 IS THE TIME WHEN THE EXTREMIST REGIMES CAME TO
POWER IN BOTH COUNTRIES.
IN SAUDI ARABIA IT WAS COMMON TO SEE PEOPLE WEARING BIKINIS AND
SWIMSUITS IN HOTEL POOLS, HOTEL TEMPING WITH IRAN.
OF COURSE THERE ARE MULTIPLE AGITATIONS ON BOTH SIDES.
THE OTHER INTERESTING THING IS THEY ARE TRYING TO USE AN
APPROACH TO WOMEN'S RIGHTS TO TRY TO SQUASH AND REPRESS ANY
SORT OF RESISTANCE TO THE REGIME AND THEIR LACK OF SUPPORTING
ITS CITIZENS THROUGH ECONOMIC INCENTIVE.
>>IN SAUDI ARABIA WOMEN NOW HAVE THE RIGHT TO DRIVE, SORT OF.
AND THEN IN IRAN, THEY HAVE ALLOWED WOMEN CAUGHT NOT
WEARING THEIR HEADSCARVES MIGHT NOT BE DETAINED.
WOAH.
>>THERE IS FALSE MODERATION EVERYWHERE AND IT IS TO SERVE AS
A RELEASE FROM ALL THE PRESSURE.
WHAT HAPPENED THEY GOT RID OF THE SANCTIONS, THAT IS GOOD
FOR THE US AND IRAN.
INFLATION DID GO DOWN FOR A LITTLE BIT, NOW IT HAS GONE
BACK UP.
WHY?
BECAUSE ELITES HERE TOOK ALL THE MONEY.
ALL THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS GOT UNFROZEN, THEY TOOK ALL THAT
MONEY OUT AND PUT IT IN THEIR POCKETS.
HERE IS ANOTHER HILARIOUS GUY PRETENDING TO BE A MODERATE.
THE HEAD OF THE REVOLUTIONARY COURT SAYS WE CONSIDER PROTEST
TO BE THE PEOPLE'S RIGHT.
BUT IF SOME PEOPLE WANT TO ABUSE THESE EMOTIONS AND RIDE THIS
WAVE, WE WILL NOT WAIT AND WE
WILL CONFRONT THEM.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF PROTESTS AND YOU WILL
CRUSH THEM.
THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE DOING, ARRESTING PEOPLE AND A LOT OF
THESE DIFFERENT CITIES.
52 ARRESTS AND SOME OF THE DIFFERENT CITIES.
DON'T GET ME WRONG, I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF MOST OF IT WAS NOT
ORGANIC BECAUSE THERE IS A TON
OF PENT-UP FRUSTRATION IN IRAN.
IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE IT GOES.
>>THERE IS FRUSTRATION IN SAUDI ARABIA TO SEE THE KIND OF
EXPENDITURES TAKING PLACE IN TERMS OF THE MILITARY CAMPAIGNS
IN YEMEN AND DESTRUCTION THAT HAS HAPPENED, ALSO THE
FRUSTRATION WITH THE CROWN
PRINCE WHO HAS TAKEN THAT OVER AS HIS MISSION.
I SEE WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AND I THINK THERE IS INTERNATIONAL
INTERFERENCE, BUT I DO THINK
PEOPLE SEE SO MUCH GOVERNMENT SPENDING ON THE OUTSIDE AND
NOTHING IN THEIR COFFERS.
>>I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU.
IT'S FUNDAMENTALISTS BIRD OF A FEATHER FLOCKING TOGETHER.
I'M
NOT A RELIGIOUS PERSON SAID TO ME THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUNNI AND
SHIITE.
OH THEY THINK THE FOURTH
CALIPHATE IS A LEGITIMATE ONE, FOR ALL
PEOPLE THAT IS ENORMOUSLY IRRELEVANT.
YOU ARE BOTH ACTING THE SAME EXACT WAY AND IT IS
FUNDAMENTALISTS AND OPPRESSES YOUR OWN PEOPLE.
NO ONE CARES WHAT YOU CALL IT.