Experts emphasized that the protest demonstrations that started in Iran with the death of Mahsa Amini cannot be directly associated with the headscarf issue, stating that the increasing impoverishment of the public is the most important internal factor in the growth of the protests. Political Scientist Güler Kalay said, “Considering Iran’s attainment of full membership status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the collapse of nuclear deal negotiations with America, and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s harsh speech against the US at the UN General Assembly, interpreting the Amini incident solely through the lens of ‘women’s rights’ or ‘gender inequality’ would be incomplete.”
Mahsa Amini's death is not the only reason! The most important internal factor is the impoverishment of the public…
Political Scientist Güler Kalay, Deputy Director of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Political Psychology Center, made striking evaluations regarding the protests that started in Iran after the death of Mahsa Amini.
The background of the events should be read comprehensively
Political scientist Güler Kalay, emphasizing that it is not possible to directly associate the protest demonstrations in Iran with the women's headscarf issue, continued her words as follows:
“The protestors were mobilized by Amini's death, but it is necessary to read its background comprehensively. There are economic and political reasons within the country, but we cannot ignore international reasons and external factors that are likely to play a role. If we consider Iran's attainment of full membership status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Russia's large-scale procurement of unmanned aerial vehicles used in Ukraine from Iran, the collapse of nuclear deal negotiations with America, and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's harsh speech against the US at the UN General Assembly after his meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and French President Emmanuel Macron in New York, interpreting the Amini incident solely through “women's rights” or “gender inequality” would be incomplete.”
Iranian regime is being targeted
Kalay stated that it is possible to evaluate the demonstrations in Iran, which international organizations present as protests targeting the Iranian regime within the framework of the 'women's issue', as the largest mass movement since the Green Revolution in 2009, and said, “The protests that started after the death of Amini, who was ethnically Kurdish, have now spread to over thirty provinces. The rapid spread of the protests and their occurrence at such a critical juncture cannot be a coincidence, which requires meticulous analysis.”
The Kurdish card is likely to be played in Iran
Political Scientist Güler Kalay, pointing out that balances in international relations are changing with the process initiated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, said, “Change cannot be painless. Therefore, it is possible for dynamics in some countries to be pursued, and for internal and external factors to be activated. Similar to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue turning into a hot conflict again, the presence of external elements' influence in the demonstrations in Iran is also possible. Iran's foreign policy steps could very well be undermined by its internal political situation through the ignition of its internal dynamics. On the other hand, the Kurdish card has been most actively played in Turkey and Syria so far, but it is also likely to be played in Iran.”
Protests involve economic and political demands
Political Scientist Güler Kalay stated that Iran has been experiencing economically difficult times in recent years due to both the pandemic and international sanctions, and concluded her words as follows:
“The general dissatisfaction among the country's population is further growing with concerns about the health of religious leader Khamenei and rumors about his successor. The conflict between liberals and conservatives within the country is also among the important internal political dynamics. The increasing impoverishment of the public is the most important internal factor in the growth of the protests. Therefore, the protests involve both economic and political demands. If we look again at international factors, we need to address the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the US and the EU. A cold and difficult winter awaits Europe. Negotiations with Iran are necessary to replace Russian gas with Middle Eastern gas.”