this post was submitted on 02 Jan 2026
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378
Massive protests sweeping Iran as citizens demand new system of government after decades of mismanagement and extensive corruption (www.abc.net.au)
submitted 1 week ago by Hotznplotzn@lemmy.sdf.org to c/world@lemmy.world
19 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

...

Merchants from Iran's bazaars played a key role in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which brought Iran's clerics to power.

Now they may have started a movement to depose those rulers because many of the protesters want more than economic relief.

Some told the ABC they were angry about extensive corruption and decades of mismanagement and wanted an entirely new system of government.

"This anger comes from the sense that the country has been abandoned, as if no-one intends to stop the collapse, the instability, or the soaring prices," Babak* (not their real name) told the ABC.

...

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[–] DaddleDew@lemmy.world 65 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

They're about to run out of drinking water and might even have to evacuate Teheran because of it.

While the surrounding countries invested in their water supplies and won't be affected anywhere as badly by the drying conditions, the Iranian government spent all its resources in their nuclear and missile programs and just hoped that the decades long trend in reducing rainfall would reverse. It didn't.

They won't be able to ignore it any further when people start dying. But it will be too late by then.

[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 41 points 1 week ago

the Iranian government spent all its resources in their nuclear and missile programs and just hoped that the decade long tend in reducing rainfall would reverse. It didn't.

They definitely mismanaged the crisis, but this is a false dichotomy. In the past few decades Iran has been investing into its water infrastructure; it's just that their investment priorities weren't "make sure Iran will be habitable by 2050." This is corruption and lack of political will, not a lack of funds.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 23 points 1 week ago

While the surrounding countries invested in their water supplies

Curiously, the investment probably needed to be in more advanced anti-aircraft defenses.

The war lasted 12 days. The environmental impact on Iran may last decades

Damage to energy infrastructure can also have knock-on effects by disrupting water treatment and delivery systems, Weir said.

Attacking infrastructure that affects the survival of a population is prohibited under the Geneva convention. “There are rules of engagement,” said Ahmad Rafay Alam, an environmental lawyer and activist. “You’re supposed to target military installations and other parties in the armed conflict. You’re supposed to avoid civilians. You’re supposed to avoid excessive use of force, and you’re supposed to avoid targeting civilian infrastructure or infrastructure that can impact civilian populations.”

Disruption of Iran's energy grid, bombardments shattering pipe networks, and the decades-long sanctions prohibiting the country's ability to import supplies for repairs (cement alone has seen double-digit price spikes for years), have undermined the country's capacity for storing and pumping potable water since the '79 Revolution.

They won’t be able to ignore it any further when people start dying.

People have already died and they'll continue to die. This is a nation fully under siege by its neighbors and its foreign adversaries. Absent intervention by an opposition government, we'll see Iran's population accelerated into the same crises created in Palestine, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Pakistan.

[–] manxu@piefed.social 46 points 1 week ago

I wish the protesters safety and success. Iran has been a central pivot in world civilization since its dawn, and it rightfully belongs back there as a center of culture and civilization, run by a government chosen by the people and accountable to the people.

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 30 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I was cheering for the "New Iran" movement about 5 years ago, and I'll cheer for these protesters today.

The Iranian people deserve self-determination, freedom from an oppressive government, and the sovereignty to elect their own officials in a new form of government. The world will be a better place when they have it.

Let Iran become the cultural hub that it once was.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)

which wouldnt have happened if the usa hadnt back the SHAH, instead of the rightful governement that was elected.

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 week ago

That was a lot longer than five years ago, before I was even alive. I'm talking about the major protest movement that swept Iran in 2021 if I remember correctly...

You're right though, US meddling started the whole catastrophe that destabilized Iran. It's really sad to think about...

[–] zd9@lemmy.world 17 points 1 week ago (4 children)

This time may actually be the perfect storm of crazy imperialistic war-mongering dictators in America and Israel, plus real bottom up anger at the Iranian government. This may actually be the thing that provokes regime change.

[–] FerretyFever0@fedia.io 27 points 1 week ago (1 children)

If it does, I hope it ends well for them.

[–] zd9@lemmy.world 16 points 1 week ago

With Israel and America poking around, it won't.

[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 5 points 1 week ago

Outside of a straight up invasion (and even then, it needs to be successful), imperialistic warmongering dictators only provide cover for the current ruling class. If Iranians succeed this time, it will be in spite of Israeli and American warmongering, not because of it.

[–] frongt@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 week ago

Yeah but probably not for the better.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 0 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

First Afghanistan, then Iraq, then Libya, then Syria, now Iran.

Freedom is sweeping across the Middle East.

[–] AmidFuror@fedia.io 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

You missed Tunisia. Egypt backslid, and so did Afghanistan.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

And Lebanon, which has been Freedom Bombed from both ends. And Sudan and Ethiopia currently enjoying the tender liberties of a UAE backed civil war.

I suppose you could claim Egypt backslid, but I doubt their handlers in Israel would agree.

Afghanistan is once again out of the heroin business, which has been great for Latin American cartel bosses but not much else

[–] AmidFuror@fedia.io 0 points 1 week ago

You just added a couple of places that didn't overthrow their leaders.

[–] ruuster13@lemmy.zip -5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Khameini has been too busy pouring money into militant groups hellbent on eradicating the Jews to care about his own people. Let's hope at minimum he gets the Assad treatment.

[–] AmidFuror@fedia.io -3 points 1 week ago

You've been downvoted by Hezbollah, Hamas, and Houthi supporters.

Remember the adage about a member of Islamic Jihad sitting at a table with 10 other people. You have 11 Islamic Jihad members.