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While the world’s attention remains on the military tension between Iran’s clerical regime and Israel, a deeply entrenched confrontation is brewing within Iran itself. This internal struggle, led by MEK-affiliated Resistance Units and rebellious youth, represents an intensifying campaign by the Iranian population against the regime. With acts ranging from public displays of dissent to arson and attacks on government facilities, Iranians are increasingly taking their fight against the clerical establishment into their own hands, signaling rising discontent across the nation.
The Resistance Units, affiliated with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), have mobilized to spread awareness and encourage dissent against the regime. Across dozens of major cities and smaller towns, including Tehran, Mashhad, Karaj, and Esfahan, banners, posters, and graffiti championing Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), have appeared in public spaces.
Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan, advocating for a democratic and secular Iran, is highlighted in these displays, alongside slogans like “No to velayat-e faqih, yes to a democratic republic.” In Tehran, a banner proclaimed, “No force in the world is stronger than our will for freedom,” while in Karaj and Isfahan, projected images of Mrs. Rajavi inspired passersby with calls for unity in the face of oppression. These high-risk actions are designed to raise awareness and foster solidarity, undertaken by individuals who risk their lives, as any affiliation with the MEK inside Iran carries life-threatening consequences under the regime’s severe crackdowns on dissent.
On a more aggressive front, rebellious youth have begun to target regime-affiliated structures directly, escalating the opposition from symbolic displays to active resistance. In recent incidents across Mashhad, Esfahan, Qazvin, and Shiraz, among other cities, Iranian brave youth set fire to Basij militia bases.
In Qazvin, a Basij center, often seen as a tool for enforcing the regime’s policies, was set ablaze. Meanwhile, rebellious youth in Tehran destroyed prominent billboards displaying images of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his predecessor Ruhollah Khomeini, signaling a new level of defiance. These bold actions reflect an opposition movement willing to confront the regime head-on and underscore the depth of public resentment toward Iran’s clerical elite.
The roots of this public resentment are deeply entwined with Iran’s ongoing economic crises and decades of political repression. Official reports claim that nearly 30% of the population lives below the poverty line, though economists suggest that figure may exceed 50%. Skyrocketing inflation, particularly in food and housing, has devastated Iranian households, leaving even middle-income families struggling to make ends meet. This economic despair, combined with rampant unemployment and government crackdowns on dissent, has left many Iranians viewing the regime as both corrupt and incapable of addressing their needs.
PMOI Resistance Units across Iran celebrate anniversary of Maryam Rajavi’s election as NCRI President-elect https://t.co/BtxB8kHoYQ
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 21, 2024
As the regime pours resources into military funding and regional conflicts, domestic welfare programs have suffered, exacerbating the wealth gap and further fueling public outrage. Despite government claims of economic stability, the reality for millions of Iranians is a life of poverty and deprivation, with no prospects for improvement.
The MEK-affiliated Resistance Units continue to rally public support through awareness campaigns, their displays of Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan offering a beacon of hope to citizens disillusioned with the regime’s clerical rule.
These actions reveal a resistance movement that is not only enduring but evolving. As the clerical regime faces mounting pressure both domestically and internationally, Iran’s internal opposition appears more resilient than ever, with public defiance increasingly organized and persistent. While the world focuses on Iran’s external confrontations, the nation’s own population may well be the regime’s most formidable challenge, with the call for change reverberating across cities, from symbols of dissent to acts of rebellion.