It's not easy even for 1% of any population to risk their lives and even worse, risk torture and rape by coming out and making themselves public. But many are already doing it. You also need a good trigger for things to kick into high gear. And things may go very quickly after that point. But I'm a fan of consistent pressure, so that the regime has the opportunity to modify, before everything is burned down. However, I'm not sure if they have the wisdom to do that. Tyrants are usually not willing to give in, until it's too late. Just like Shah...
These protest were small and insignificant in number! And a real tyrant would have deployed Tanks, APC & would have opened fire on people in 2009!
NONE of the slogans used in the recent protest were a genuine push towards better social or economic policies!
Did you hear large group of protesters screaming against "Hejab by force"?
Did you hear large group of protesters screaming for "Freedom of expression" or "Freedom of press"?
Did you hear large group of protesters chanting anything about any specific economic policies that they think should be changed?
Which Iranian in there right mind thinks Iran should be spending less on it's military when we are already spending less than every other country in the region & haven't purchased a new fleet of Air superiority fighter in over 40 years? In Iran increased MOD budget = more JOBS for skilled workers & collage graduates!
Which Iranian in there right mind thinks it's better for Iran to have less influence among regional states? At the end of the day more influence = more exports and better economic opportunities for Iranian companies and citizens!
Which Iranian in there right mind thinks U.S. hostilities towards Iran has to do with Iran's support and relations with Hezbollah, Hamas, Lebanon, Syria & Iraq? Qaddafi had none of that & handed over it's missiles & WMD's and the U.S. still bombed Libya and destroyed that country! Iranian's are NOT blind!
If these protest were truly genuine and were truly about bettering Iran rather than chanting "Na Gazeh, na Lebanon, Janam fadayeh Iran" (which at it's root is anti Iranian slogan) they would have been chanting "Marg bar rosary ba to sari"
If these protest were truly genuine and about bettering Iran rather than Chanting for the Pahlavi dictatorship to come to Iran they would have been chanting for free press!
If they were genuine rather than calling for the death of a President elected by a vast majority they would have chanted against specific policies made by him.... And there are plenty of policies made by Rohani that upsets me but calling for the death of an elected official rather than specific policies, action or inactions made by him is counterintuitive
Fact is the absurd and deluded slogans IS THE MAIN reason why NOT EVEN 1% of Iranian came out to support them!
Do you understand how low 1% is? that means if we say on average each family has 4 members not even 1 family member out of 25 families in Tehran came out to support these people! And they couldn't even achieve that!
Fact is MOST of Iran's economic problems has to do with Hejab by force and policies that make Iran an unattractive location to take a vacation not sanctions!
Tourism is the largest and the most valuable industry in the world and the root cause of Iran's problems has to do with the monetary deficit in Tourism that means more money (specifically foreign currency) is going out than coming in.
And the reasons why Iran isn't an attractive location to take your family on a vacation is CLEAR!
Hejab by force, Lack of legally distributed Alcoholic beverages, Lack of night life, Segregated Beaches,....
Iranian leaders and presidents are all aware of this and have been trying to make up for Iran's deficit in international currency with Oil and foreign investments but that only fills your cup up to a point in a country of over 80 million people that's larger than France, Germany, Italy & UK combined.
My point is when you have such large issues facing your country and rather than protesting for real issues to better Iran, you see so called protesters screaming death to this person and that person, criticize Iran's foreign policy & chant for Iran to go back to a dictatorial monarchy led by a spoiled prince living in the U.S. (All of which are exactly what Iran's enemies want!) then I and most Iranian would look at that and say the government is right these protest are NOT genuine & were organized & sponsored by foreign countries and started by foreign agents