Iran’s former foreign minister has claimed that many in the country believe Iran’s 1979 revolution is “unique in world history” as the regime claws for legitimacy on the eve of elections.
Mohammad Javad Zarif who was speaking at a conference held at Tehran University stated, “various observers have pointed out that Iran’s revolution stands apart from others because it was not led by a political party or armed group”, hailing the religious nature of the revolution which ousted the ruling monarchy.
His remarks come at a critical juncture as Iran commemorates the 45th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, coined by its founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, as the revolution of the “bare-footed.”
However, the occasion is overshadowed by growing disillusionment among the populace with the regime’s shortcomings and fears the upcoming elections will be boycotted en masse as a sign of the country’s discontent amid ever more social and economic repression.
Traditionally, the Islamic Republic celebrates the Ten Days of Dawn (dahe-ye fajr), marking the period from Ayatollah Khomeini’s return to Iran on February 1, 1979, to the victory of the Islamic Revolution.
However, this year’s observance was fraught with challenges, including the ongoing inflation and increasing reluctance to address the unfulfilled promises of freedom and prosperity made during the revolution.
Poverty has never been as bad as the current depression, an all time low since 1979.
Official figures from the interior ministry suggest that approximately 60% of Iran’s 84 million citizens live below the relative poverty line, with between 20 to 30 million enduring “absolute poverty.”
This contrasts starkly with government statistics from 2010, which indicated around 10 million people living below the absolute poverty line.
