ArmInfo.Iran's dissatisfaction with the rise in price of certain goods did not reach the level when it can be used to commit a coup. Vardan Voskanyan, Head of the Department of Oriental Studies at the Faculty of Oriental Studies of Yerevan State University, expressed this opinion to ArmInfo.
Since December 28, the largest cities in Iran have been covered by protests against the government's social and economic policy. Victims of unrest, according to media reports, were 21 people, about 3,700 people were detained. Tehran has already announced the suppression of protests.
"The increase in price of essential products took place in reality, but the social and economic situation in Iran as a whole is safe and can even serve as an example for the most developed CIS countries." I recently returned from Iran and in the cities I visited, protest actions were small and inconspicuous and lasted no more than a couple of hours, "he said.
The Iranian sees in the coverage of anti-government rallies in Iran by the Western media a significant hyperbolization with the aim of purposefully distorting the perception of reality in the country neighboring Armenia. In particular, according to his estimates, it is an attempt to politicize rallies with economic demands through the active use of impact technologies through social networks and the media.
"This was done primarily with the aim of achieving a tough reaction from Tehran in the form of a stiff suppression of rallies, which would give the external forces additional leverage over Iran, but the Iranian authorities, police and other security personnel from using stiff force against demonstrators who committed and, thus, there was no suppression, but only a warning of protests, "the Iranian expert concluded.