One notable absence in Iran’s current protests has been the lack of Reformist support. Iran’s last two major protests, the student protests of 1999 and the election protests of 2009, were both supported by Reformist figures. Having lost a great deal of political ground in each street protest, Reformists are naturally wary of the effectiveness of such demonstrations and of how the protests could spill over into violence. 

In a statement signed by 16 Reformist figures, it seems that at least some within the Reformist camp are attempting to get ahead of the protests that have so far not included them. The letter was signed by some of the more outspoken and influential Reformist figures, including Saeed Hajjarian, often referred to as the main Reformist theoretician, Mostafa Tajzadeh, Feizollah Arabsorkhi, and Mohammad Reza Khatami, a brother of former President Mohammad Khatami and former secretary-general of the Islamic Iran Participation Front, a one-time powerful Reformist group.

The statement read, “The discontent among the people continues and unless fundamental steps are taken to resolve the issues of the protests and the rightful complaints are not addressed appropriately, these events, with even more costs, will be repeated.” The statement continued, “The existing problems and discontent in society have various dimensions. A significant portion of the people are in pain over economic shortcomings, unemployment and low wages. Some are also protesting against political and social restrictions.”

The statement also addressed the role of elections in the protests: “The people have numerous times participated honestly and optimistically in elections and have given a stamp of constitutional and popular approval to the government but unfortunately a measured and timely response to their civic action was not given.”