An unnamed Iranian protester spoke to i24news on Thursday, describing the political and security situation in Iran, as well as providing his perception on the current events that have shaken the country. The protester was required to cover his face and identity, in fear of potential severe repercussions associated with speaking to Israeli media, including imprisonment, torture and death. He noted that speaking to Israeli media might result in “being arrested by the Basij [IRGC paramilitary forces]”, clarifying that he knows “that the regime intends to identify protesters by closed-circuit [security] cameras.” He added that the regime has been “dispersing the people [protesters] at any price: by shooting tear gas, by beating up people, by creating mayhem and terror.” i24 also asked the protester about the level of popular support for former IRGC Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in an American airstrike earlier this month. He responded that, “the Iranian people regarded Soleimani as a terrorist and criminal because he plundered the people’s wealth, [and] in suppressing [the demonstrations in] November, [where] he had a leading role. “Soleimani spent [Iran’s wealth] on his own terrorist activity, and [that] of the forces under his command – that is the Quds Force – in the Middle East,” he said. “He massacred 1,500 people [in Iran]. He has done no service whatsoever for this country. The Iranian people know that he didn’t fight ISIS; it was only an oppressive force, that has massacred half a million Syrians and acted against American forces in Iraq.” He further added that, “the Islamic Republic, by its broadcast authority and its media outlets, made this man a hero. Some people, who are endowed with less intelligence than average, and some who are connected to the government and work in government bodies, were lured and forced to attend Soleimani’s funeral in Ahvaz, Mashhad, Tehran, Qom and Kerman. All the people you see in those videos are less than 5% of the people of Iran. “I dare say [that the other] 95% of the Iranian people expressed joy and happiness at the killing of Qasem Soleimani.” On the issue of Iran’s nuclear weapons program, the protester said that, “Israel is worried that Iran will get a nuclear bomb, while promising to act if Iran gets close to nuclear capabilities. What is the feeling on the ground towards this threat? Look, the people are sick and tired of the Islamic Republic regime. “[Iranians] are in no way ready to let this government stay for years and years,” he said. “This government has to go at any price, and a secular government, which works in the people’s interest, should come to power. For the Iranian people, the reality is that it makes no difference, whether this regime be eliminated by war – an external war – or through a revolution of the Iranian people. “What the Iranian people want with all their being, is that the regime will fall.” “Also in the case of an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, the people will not express any support of the regime or any condemnation of such a move by Israel – even though the regime, with its media-siege, wants to show that the people of Iran will completely condemn this move,” he said. “Every scene you see of Iranian television and media, and every news item you hear, has many exaggerations, and is not the truth. In order to get the truth, it’s enough to ask the people: people who speak without any fanaticism,” the protester said. “The truth is that among the people, the Islamic Republic regime has no legitimacy or reason for being anymore.”
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