MOSCOW, January 15. /TASS/. Protests in Iran have been driven both by external interference and by domestic social policy failures, former Austrian Foreign Minister, head of the G.O.R.K.I. center at St. Petersburg State University Karin Kneissl told TASS in an interview.
"What is happening in Iran today is a mix of problems created inside the country and problems that were clearly introduced from outside. There is no black-and-white picture here - there are many shades of grey that need to be taken into account," Kneissl said. "External interference is obvious. Iran’s history has seen multiple similar cases. But, in my opinion, it justifies absolutely nothing," she added.
Kneissl highlighted a severe water crisis in Iran, saying it has made agriculture impossible in some regions and has contributed to growing social tensions. "In summer there was even talk of evacuating the capital, Tehran, because the authorities could no longer provide the population with drinking water. This is, in part, the result of internal mistakes, because water management has never been taken seriously and there has been significant waste," she said.
Different types of protests
According to Kneissl, Iran is currently witnessing at least two types of protests. On the one hand, there are peaceful demonstrations focused on inflation and the loss of purchasing power. "This is not happening for the first time. The problem of hunger has become significant. It is also important to consider the severe water crisis that has forced many farmers to leave villages and move to cities. Not only Tehran, but provincial towns too. This has created a new group living in poverty," the former foreign minister said.
Kneissl believes that the issue of poverty and social problems as a whole - which are aggravating all around the world as people increasingly face a loss of purchasing power — are among the root causes of the unrest. "What we are seeing are demonstrations against the government over severe economic problems. President Masoud Pezeshkian himself stated very clearly: ‘This is our fault. This is a crisis we created,’" the expert said.
Kneissl added that, on the other hand, Iran is also witnessing extremely brutal unrest, where slogans have disappeared and "aggression and violence prevail." "The way people are attacking firefighters, security personnel, and others in the streets, lynching them, setting them on fire — this is no longer protest. This is street violence, and extraordinarily brutal violence at that," she said. "So we are dealing with at least two different forms of protests: one group that is - quite legitimately and not for the first time - raising the issue of the economic crisis, and another that is acting with extreme, extreme violence," she emphasized.
Espionage networks
Kneissl said it remains to be determined whether the instigators of the unrest are receiving funding from abroad. She also recalled events in June amid the escalating confrontation between Israel, Iran and the United States, when around 130, or possibly as many as 200, Iranian nuclear specialists were killed, along with members of their families or colleagues, even before missile strikes began. "In several cases, this was carried out using explosive devices that had been planted in advance in their apartments or offices. That would have been impossible without the involvement of spies, traitors, or saboteurs, whatever one chooses to call them," the expert said.
Kneissl argued that Iran’s security apparatus is not operating particularly effectively. "What I honestly do not understand is why it is still so easy to infiltrate spies into Iran. At the same time, authorities have repeatedly detained individuals who were wrongly accused of espionage," she emphasized.
Secondary issues
In Kneissl’s view, Iran’s leadership and authorities at all levels, including regional governments, have in recent years focused on secondary issues. "For example, the ban on walking dogs, which was accompanied by penalties for violations. An absolute absurdity. Or the issue of mandatory headscarves — the requirements have now been relaxed, but for a long time various pseudo-religious rules and moral regulations were pushed to the forefront instead of seriously tackling social problems," she said.