Are Iran’s protests different this time?
Protesters hope to bring change, maybe even to the regime, but it's not yet visible.
Courage of protesters draws global attention
The world is captivated by the images of bravery and defiance displayed by Iranian protesters, especially women and students angry at the Islamic government’s severe social and cultural constraints, but neither the demonstrations nor the government’s often-violent response have produced any visible cracks in the regime.
Indeed, Iran’s approach to these uprisings, now in their sixth week, is so far similar to its response to widespread demonstrations in 2009 and 2019-2020. While Iranian security forces have fired into crowds and beaten demonstrators, Tehran is also employing a long game: tracking, surveillance, infiltration and targeting presumed leaders as well as their families, as the Wall Street Journal points out.
Benchmarking stability
