Iran News ( Mass Protests - Farmers protest over water shortages )

IRGC’s ex-chief warns about mass protests across Iran

 

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Published on Wednesday, 06 March 2013 10:04

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NCRI - The former head of Iranian regime's Revolutionary Guard has warned that recent farmers' protests over water shortages could trigger a massive social uprising that could threaten the stability of the regime.
The report on the website of ex-IRGC chief Mohsen Rezaie also exposes rifts within the ruling dictatorship and escalation of infighting.

His warning comes after armed security forces were sent to Isfahan to crush a rebellion by hundreds of farmers angry at Revolutionary Guards for building dams in the Zayande-Rud River and cutting off their water supply.
Rezaie has now written on his website: "The events that occurred in Isfahan have proved the accuracy of warnings from experts over the consequences of economic pressures.
"The events at Isfahan happened because of the agricultural water shortages being endured by farmers. Although this could be due by drought and Ahmadinejad's bad decision-making, the bigger picture also shows the explosive nature of a population suffering economically.
"Ahmadinejad’s trip to the province of Chahar Mahal Bakhtiari and changing the Zayande-Rud river water division system are both to blame for the widespread discontent among Isfahan farmers.
"This discontent has lead to the protests and the destruction of Isfahan’s water delivery system.
"As the security forces rushed to the scene, the protest escalated and several buses were set on fire and rubber bullets were fired, although according to the head of the security forces there were no deaths but some were injured.
"In addition to destruction of the water pipes and water delivery system to the cities of Yazd and others, the pictures and videos of burned buses show the extent of the damage was greater than the critical days of 2009 in Tehran.
"And this was all caused by protesters who were not political activists or intellectuals, and do not have access to satellites and social networks.
"The message from Isfahan must be that severe economic problems could cause similar social unrest and widespread discontent anywhere else in the country."