As furious protests enter their third week and bring Iran to the precipice of change, the country’s theocratic government is trying to survive by harshly cracking down on the widening demonstrations.
Iran’s ruling clergy have weathered huge protests many times before. But the longstanding regime’s grasp on power now appears more tenuous than ever as the swelling opposition movement demands substantive change.
The protests initially centered on economic grievances but have since evolved into a broader movement against the regime that has controlled Iran for decades.
“There’s systemic mismanagement, corruption, and repression. This is why people want the Islamic Republic gone,” Washington Institute Senior Fellow Holly Dagres told CNN.
While the regime faces mounting internal pressure from outraged protesters, US President Donald Trump has added his own voice of warning to the Iranian leadership.
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