Page 15 - IRANRptJun22

Iranian society described as in ‘state of explosion’ in apparent establishment text leaked to Radio Farda
cities to essentially close for days on end. Climate change is thought by many scientists to be a factor. Iraqi authorities declared a national holiday, urging citizens to stay at home in anticipation of the tenth storm to hit the country in two months.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi ordered an emergency meeting of the cabinet to deal with the air pollution crisis.
“With the increasing dust haze seen in the country in the past two months or so, certain regional cooperation to address the dust haze is on the agenda of Iran’s Foreign Ministry,” a government spokesman said.
RFE/RL’s Radio Farda on February 2 reported that an apparent “highly confidential” leaked state document warning that discontent is rising in Iran, with society in a “state of explosion”, has fallen into its hands. According to RFE/RL—a US-government-funded organisation that reports on countries where the "the free flow of information is either banned by government authorities or not fully developed”—the seven-page document highlights the Iranian clerical establishment’s concerns over potential social unrest that could eventuate due to Iran’s deteriorating economy, an economy crushed by crippling US sanctions and years of economic mismanagement.
The document allegedly comes from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s elite military force, said Radio Farda. It was reportedly leaked by Edalat-e Ali (Ali's Justice), a hacktivist group that has previously disclosed secret documents and videos about the mistreatment of prison inmates in Iran. RFE/RL noted that it could not independently verify the authenticity of the document.
The leaked document, said the media outlet, includes notes from a November 2021 taskforce meeting chaired by Brigadier General Hossein Nejat, a senior IRGC commander and deputy head of Sarallah, a key IRGC base that oversees security in Tehran.
Describing some contents of the document, RFE/RL reported: “‘Society is in a state of explosion,’ Mohammadi said [in one passage], citing Iran's economic woes. He noted that ‘social discontent has risen by 300 percent in the past year.’
“Mohammadi also said that ‘several shocks’ in recent months have ‘shaken public trust’ in the ultraconservative government led by President Ebrahim Raisi, who assumed office in June.
“Mohammadi referred to soaring inflation, including hikes in the prices of food items, energy, and cars. He also noted the sharp declines in stock prices.
“A group of Iranian shareholders who suffered losses in recent months held a protest outside parliament in Tehran on January 20, saying a decline in stock prices was due to government policies. Some of the protesters chanted slogans against Raisi, calling him ‘a liar.’
“Stock market investors have held several similar protests in past months where they have accused government policies for their losses.”
Raisi and his cabinet ministers have pledged to deal with the stock market swings, partly caused by uncertainty over the fate of the ongoing Vienna talks between Iran and major powers aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear deal. “Currently, 53 percent of society is sceptical about the claims of the establishment,” Mohammadi was also cited as saying in the document.
The document also quotes an individual referred to as “Colonel Kaviani”. He is
15 IRAN Country Report June 2022 www.intellinews.com