Less than a month after the biggest street protests since 2009 rocked Iran, seemingly out of nowhere and under no official organizational banner, officials and analysts are still trying to figure out the makeup and motivations of the demonstrators. Now the Interior Ministry deputy for security and law enforcement, Hossein Zolfaghari, has made an attempt at drawing conclusions with a report on the matter.

One problem with a report of this nature, given the various rumors that the protests started in the city of Mashhad at the direction of the political rivals of President Hassan Rouhani, is that many conclusions could be politically motivated. Zolfaghari tried to put such political motivations and ambiguities to rest in his report by stating, “The Interior Ministry’s report is based on expertly collected data and reliable information.” He continued, “This report is void of personal perceptions and partisan orientations.”

Zolfaghari listed three primary reasons for the protests. One was the actions of the country’s enemies, such as America and its allies in the region. A second was a decrease in public trust for various reasons, such as weaknesses in institutions and organizations in being effective and accountable. A third was “incorrect management of public opinion” and an increase in public expectations and demands as a result of unrealistic campaign promises made without taking into consideration the country’s realities and resources.

According to Zolfaghari, Iran's desire for stability and calm “neutralized the enemy’s goals for an armed conflict.”