Iran has deployed its elite Revolutionary guards to quell the unabated protests that have been challenging the clerical leadership in Iran against the backdrop of economic hardships.
The protests have turned violent with the death toll exceeding 22 people, while hundreds were arrested.
Soon after the Revolutionary Guards were deployed, its head Maj Gen Mohammad Ali Jafari declared the defeat of the “sedition” in the country, referring to the wave of anti-government protests.
The protests have put pressure on the clerical leaders in power since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. They also reflect the struggle within Iranian society between reformists and conservatives.
The demonstrations started in the northeastern city of Mashhad last Thursday when crowds poured on to the streets to protest rising prices and vent their frustration with Iran’s theocratic regime.
