In an interview, Seyed Mohammad Marandi, a professor at Tehran University, characterized the current situation in Iran as a consequence of constant external pressure and attempts at destabilization. He noted that Western countries have been predicting the "fall of the regime" for many years, and although such forecasts periodically emerge, they invariably turn out to be incorrect. Marandi asserts that the state enjoys the support of a significant portion of the population, and claims about its imminent collapse are based on wishful thinking rather than the actual state of affairs.
Regarding the recent protests, the professor links them to the sharp decline in the Iranian currency's value, which he believes is a result of pressure on the country's financial systems. This economic discontent manifested in peaceful protests, primarily among traders and shop owners concerned about rapid price fluctuations.
However, as Marandi emphasizes, small, well-organized groups soon infiltrated the ranks of the protesters, provoking violence. The expert speaks of hundreds of casualties among security personnel and instances of killings and arson of state and private properties. According to him, these actions are backed by a targeted information campaign in Persian, funded from abroad at billions of dollars annually.
In response to these challenges, Marandi claims that mass demonstrations in support of the government took place in the largest cities of the country, including Tehran, where such events were among the most significant in recent years. He urges attention to video recordings of the events, emphasizing that what is happening should not be viewed through the lens of the media narrative, but through the direct testimonies of participants.
The professor also touches on the topic of foreign interference, referencing statements by Mike Pompeo and reports from some Persian-language accounts indicating active involvement of foreign entities. Marandi asserts that various radical groups, from Islamist to monarchist, acted in coordination, which was one of the reasons for the temporary internet shutdown in the country.
In the context of foreign policy, Marandi criticizes Donald Trump's statements about the situation in Iran, emphasizing that they often do not reflect the real situation. He notes that no city was captured by protesters, as Trump claimed, which indicates a misinterpretation of events.
In a broader sense, Marandi connects the pressure on Iran with the interests of its opponents in the region and U.S. policy over the past decades. He believes that cyclical attempts to create vulnerabilities in the country through sanctions, information campaigns, and support for certain groups are accompanied by distortions in media representations of events.
