Iran Protests: NCRI Conference in Washington Reveals the Grim Picture 

 With Internet services being restored – albeit by a step by step lengthy procedure- in Iran, more shocking data is made available as to details of the one-week uprising that shook the country and put – as one understands from the data- the theocratic regime on verge of losing power.  

In a press conference held today in Washington DC by the National Council of Resistance of Iran’s US representative office, shocking provisional figures obtained from the resistance’s network inside Iran were made public.  

The resistance affirms that virtually all 31 provinces of the country were touched by the uprising, with 171 cities counted as being the scene of a popular uprising. More than 300 people have been killed by security forces, and over 4000 wounded. A partial list of 127 names of those killed was made public. 

Symbols of the “regime’s suppression, theft and corruption” were attacked during the week-long protests. All of the centers that were attacked and torched were affiliated with the IRGC or the supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Gas stations were among the prominent targets for protestors, as the protests were sparked by a threefold hike in gasoline prices less than two weeks ago. Chain stores known to be linked to the IRGC, IRCG-affiliated banks, suppressive forces’ vehicles, Bassij (paramilitary forces linked to IRGC), offices of mullahs affiliated with the supreme leader Ali Khamenei, and government buildings were among other targets. Protestors torched large posters of the supreme leader and his predecessor, Ayatollah Khomeini.  

 According to the regime, more than 180 gas stations, 450 banks in 4 cities, and 80 branches of IRGC-affiliated chain stores were damaged during the uprising.  

The state-run newspaper Etemad wrote that 1.5B US dollars’ worth of damage was inflicted on the regime’s economy. 

The state-affiliated Rouydad-24 news agency said on November 21: “A knowledgeable source in the banking sector says that from November 15 to date, more than 1000 bank branches have been damaged. Statistics regarding some of the damages are as follows: 120 Mellat Bank branches, 100 Maskan Bank branches and 20 Pasargad Bank branches.” 

Those banks have been, during the last three years, targets of popular protests by low-income populations claiming their assets have been embezzled by such institutes.   

The Iranian government claims having taken control of the situation. Fears are growing among human right bodies on detainees’ situation as many important figures in the Iranian judiciary have called for harsh punishment of those arrested.  

But the real question remaining unanswered is how long would the government be able to maintain order before the next flare-up?