US dirty hands behind violent protests in Iran?

By Stephen Lendman

November 21, 2019 "Information Clearing House" - All sovereign independent countries not subservient to US interests are on its target list for regime change — by preemptive wars, color revolutions, old-fashioned coups, targeted assassinations, economic terrorism, and/or other hostile actions.

Color revolutions are a US specialty. So-called spontaneous uprisings are well-planned in advance by the CIA, the undemocratic National Endowment for Democracy, and other US agencies.

A color revolution was first used to oust Serbia’s Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. Opposition elements were recruited and trained by the US for what played out.

Toppling Milosevic was the prototype for similar actions to follow in numerous countries — succeeding in Georgia, twice in Ukraine, and against other targeted governments, failing elsewhere, notably in Iran.

Violent street protests erupted after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s 2009 reelection, CIA dirty hands all over them. The so-called “green movement” failed, an effort to return Iran to US client state status. 

Iranian authorities accused the US, UK, and Western media of fomenting unrest. Since the country’s 1979 revolution, ending a generation of US-installed fascist tyranny, the Islamic Republic has been a prime US target for regime change.

January 2018 protests in Tehran and elsewhere in Iran followed a similar pattern. Carefully planned and staged, there was nothing spontaneous about them.

Armed insurgents were responsible for about 20 deaths, numerous injuries and disruptive violence, President Hassan Rouhani saying at the time:

“The enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran are angry with the glory, success, and the progress of the Iranian nation, and they have vowed to get the regional troubles into Iran, but, sure, the people and officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond to them.”

Russia’s Foreign Ministry slammed what went on, saying: “External interference destabilizing the situation (in Iran) is unacceptable.”

Events were similar to late 2013, early 2014 Euromaidan violent protests in Kiev. The Obama regime’s coup involved snipers, killing, and injuring hundreds of civilians and police, firing on them with automatic weapons from Kiev’s Philharmonic Hall.

US-installed fascist tyranny in Europe’s heartland replaced Ukraine’s democracy, the country used as a dagger aimed at Russia’s heartland.

CIA color revolutions involve paramilitaries and/or other anti-government elements, including insurgents from other countries.

Tactics include orchestrated mass protests, shootings, Molotov cocktail bombings, arson, and other vandalism against state facilities, barricades of burning tires and/or rubbish, blocking roads, and other hostile actions.

On November 15, the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC) announced a gasoline price increase from 10,000 to 15,000 rials per liter (12.7 US cents).

Rationing was instituted, private autos allotted 60 liters a month, additional purchases to cost 30,000 rial per liter — taxis and ambulances to have 400 liter and 500 liter monthly quotas respectively.

Prices for compressed natural gas (CNG) and gas oil remain unchanged.

According to head of Iran’s Plan and Budget Organization Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, price hike revenues will fund additional subsidies for 18 million needy Iranian families.

President Rouhani said additional revenues will not be used to fund government activities. Iranophobe Pompeo tweeted the following:

“After 40 years of tyranny (sic), the proud people are not staying silent about their government abuses (sic). We will not stay silent either,” adding:

“The United States hears you. The United States supports you. The United States is with you (sic).”

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi blasted Pompeo’s hypocritical support for orchestrated violence and vandalism in Iran, saying:

“The dignified people of Iran are well aware that such hypocritical remarks contain no honest sympathy, and the (violent) actions of a group of anarchists and saboteurs who are supported by the likes of him are by no means in line with the conduct and behavior of the majority of the understanding and insightful Iranian people,” adding:

Pompeo “is sympathizing with the people who are under pressure of the United States’ economic terrorism. He had already explicitly said that the people of Iran must be kept hungry until they give in to ‘our demands.’ ”

Iranian authorities accused “trained saboteurs” for committing violence and vandalism, including public buildings, banks and shops set ablaze, along with attacks on police deployed to restore order.

Iranian intelligence estimated that about 87,000 people took part in protests, most involved nonviolent, saying:

“A large part of protesters were merely present at the location of rallies and did not cooperate with rioters, and many of them have received warning messages on their cellphones from security organizations to avoid further participation in protests,” adding:

Others engaging in violence were “completely trained…Out of 1,080 cities and counties across the country, small and large protest rallies were held in 100 locations nationwide with an estimated attendance rate of 50 to maximum 1,500 people.”

These type disruptive actions are planned well in advance of erupting, awaiting or arranging a pretext to unleash them.

President Rouhani issued a statement, saying people have a right to protest peacefully, not violently, against higher petrol prices and rationing, adding:

His government acted “in accordance with the law,” measures taken approved by “the three branches of government.”

On Monday, Iran’s parliament Speaker Ali Larijani accused US dirty hands of being behind street violence and vandalism, adding:

Pompeo supports it. He “openly supports immolation of the Iranian people’s properties through foolish shamelessness and opportunism, while calling it defending the Iranian people.”

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei issued a statement, saying: “In such incidents, hooligans, spiteful and evil people often enter the field and sometimes some youths, driven by emotion, accompany them and commit seditious acts. Such deeds do not fix anything other than adding insecurity to the problems.”

On Sunday, Press TV reported that Iranian lawmakers intend taking actions to prevent the petrol price hike from fueling price increases in other products and services.

Note: Petrol rationing isn’t new in Iran, Press TV explaining:

It “was first introduced in 2007 with the aim of reforming the subsidies system, reducing fuel consumption and curbing large scale fuel smuggling.”

What’s ongoing in Iran has all the earmarks of a CIA color revolution attempt to destabilize and weaken Iran.

Longstanding US plans call for replacing its sovereign independent government with pro-Western puppet rule.

For 40 years, Iranian authorities prevented the scourge of a US imperial takeover, supported by the vast majority of its 81 million people.

Stephen Lendman, born in 1934 in Boston, started writing on major world and national issues began in summer 2005. In early 2007, radio hosting followed. Lendman now hosts the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network three times weekly. Distinguished guests are featured. Listen live or archived. Major world and national issues are discussed. Lendman is a 2008 Project Censored winner and 2011 Mexican Journalists Club international journalism award recipient. Lendman’s newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." https://stephenlendman.org

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