Politics Iran Thread

[Soldier35]

Footage of the fall of an Israeli Hermes-900 tactical UAV shot down by Iranian air defense has been published. The Hermes-900 UAV was shot down near the city of Khorramabad, the administrative center of the Lorestan province. This is the third Hermes-900 UAV shot down in Iran. The Hermes-900 UAV was developed by the Israeli company Elbit Systems in 2011. Drones of this type are equipped with satellite communication systems, optical-electronic surveillance systems and other components for reconnaissance. It is possible to install strike weapons. The take-off weight of the Hermes-900 UAV is up to 900 kg, the payload weight is 300 kg. The drone's flight speed is up to 220 km / h at altitudes of up to 9150 meters. The flight range of the Hermes-900 UAV is up to 1500 kilometers, the duration is up to 36 hours. The price of the Hermes-900 UAV is about 25 million dollars.

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[FLYNAVY]

This has been bouncing around the fleet lately.

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[FLYNAVY]

I usually feel sorta sad after the shooting is ending. Not because I like seeing stuff blow up & burn [ok maybe a little] but when you start going thru the battle damage assessment & see the total destruction of cities, public buildings, homes, family farms, businesses & the associated loss of civilians lives..little children killed & maimed, it's a very sobering punch in the gut as you realize you have lost another piece of your humanity & compassion to bring peace, protect your homeland & keep your family safe from future aggression. I wish our elected politicians & diplomats could find a better way to do "peace thru strength". Major kudos to US President Trump & Bravo Zulu for putting together the 1 page cease fire agreement to end the 12 day war, hopefully the peace will hold..... now do Ukraine & Russia. Huge set of balls on that guy.

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[primer]

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Climate Change Is Raging. It Could Be What Brings Down the Ayatollahs

 

[Nansouty]

It looks like things are getting hot for the mullahs in Iran :
Protests, strikes after Iran’s economic situation rapidly deteriorates

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I usually tend to take this with a grain of salt. But perhaps not this time. First, it's reported by Al-Jazeera, not a media friendly with western values. And secondly, and more importantly, Teheran's bazaaris are turning against the mullahs. I'm old enough to remember this : the monarchy collapsed in 79 when these same bazaaris turned against the Shah. Fingers crossed, good luck to the Persian people, a great country & civilization i hope I'll be able to visit some day.

Note to mods : this is an old thread, and I'm not sure my post goes in the right place. Please move it if convenient, sorry for giving you some work.

 

[Ivan le Fou]

Let us hope, but I doubt it will amount to anything.

 

[Nansouty]

You may well be right in the end, Ivan, but for the moment this is spreading. These protesters are chanting "Long live the Shah", they seem to no longer fear the dreaded Pasdarans...

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[Nansouty]

And while we're at it, for the sheer enjoyment of the video, someone RPGed a Khameini poster

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[Mike1976]

Let us hope, but I doubt it will amount to anything.

A deranged islamic theocracy, the greatest ally against the vile democratic free state of Israel, potentially getting the boot. Try to imagine how distraught governments across Europe must be right now!

 

[Vorph]

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I am ever cautious that this will amount to anything, yet the atmosphere feels different this time...

 

[Mike1976]

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I am ever cautious that this will amount to anything, yet the atmosphere feels different this time...

Meanwhile in western media:

 

[Ivan le Fou]

I am ever cautious that this will amount to anything, yet the atmosphere feels different this time...

One has to be careful with how, sometimes, if not now most of the time, events are over-hyped.

And also how social media, or even the mainstream media, are giving us a false sense of power and involvement on things taking place abroad.


The Ayatollahs can't care less about how many people liked or retweeted a post.

 

[primer]

Did universities promote communism before Lenin?;

Yes, some Chinese universities, particularly
Peking University (PKU), were central to the early promotion of Marxist and socialist ideas in China even before direct contact with Lenin's Soviet agents or the formal establishment of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Before Vladimir Lenin's arrival and the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917,
Russian universities did not officially promote communism; in fact, the Tsarist state heavily controlled and shaped them. However, universities were also breeding grounds for radical thought, and many students and intellectuals participated in illegal revolutionary movements

Its always universities..they have to agitate whatever message they feel is correct despite clearly ignoring to really think deeply about reperccusions.
Early sex changes for kids adopted..don't underestimate them.

 

[Ivan le Fou]

Protesters seized and set fire to the Basij headquarters in Asadabad, Iran.

 

[Nansouty]

Protesters have taken command of Chenar Basij base (Basij are thugs of the regime)

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Likewise, rumors of soldiers joining the protests.

Also, , the security commander in Kermanshah is said to have been eliminated

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[Mike1976]

Oxfam and Amnesty haven't launched a #savetheayatollah campaign yet?

How else do these lazy buggers think they're going to Free Fakestine ...

 

[Nansouty]

Meanwhile in Iran, protests are taking in 25 provinces (in red) out of 31...

 

[Nansouty]

Something else. Asking IA (Grok) about the political views and influence of the bazaari caste in Iran. They played in a pivotal role in 1979.

The bazaaris (merchants and traders) in Tehran, centered in the historic Grand Bazaar and surrounding markets, have historically been a conservative socioeconomic group with deep ties to Iran's religious establishment. However, as of early 2026, their attitude has shifted markedly toward open defiance of the Iranian regime amid an escalating economic crisis characterized by hyperinflation (exceeding 50% annually), the rial's collapse to historic lows (around 145,000 tomans per USD), widespread blackouts, and depleted foreign reserves from funding regional proxies.

This frustration has manifested in multi-day strikes starting December 28, 2025, with shops shuttered across key areas like the gold market, Charsou, and Jafari Bazaar, leading to chants such as "Death to the dictator," "Death to Khamenei," and calls for the return of Reza Pahlavi (evoking pre-1979 monarchy).

These actions, often led by younger and less established merchants, reflect a broader sentiment that the regime prioritizes military spending and ideological pursuits over domestic livelihoods, eroding the once-strong alliance between bazaaris and the clerical elite.

While not all bazaaris are uniformly protesting—wealthier, more established ones appear less involved—the movement has spread to other cities and sectors, amplifying anti-regime demands.

Regarding their real political influence, bazaaris wield substantial power as an economic powerhouse, controlling much of Iran's informal trade, distribution networks, and credit systems, which can halt commerce and exacerbate shortages through strikes.

Historically, they played pivotal roles in major upheavals: funding the 1905-1911 Constitutional Revolution, supporting oil nationalization under Mosaddegh in the 1950s, and bankrolling the 1979 Islamic Revolution by chartering Ayatollah Khomeini's return flight.

Their strikes have often served as a "political early warning system," signaling regime vulnerability, as seen in past protests (e.g., 2009, 2018, 2022. Post-1979, their relative influence has waned in Iran's state-dominated, kleptocratic economy, where entities like the Revolutionary Guards control vast sectors, but they remain a key force capable of mobilizing broader unrest—potentially tipping points toward systemic change if allied with students, workers, and other groups.

heir current strikes have already contributed to protests spreading nationwide, drawing regime crackdowns and international attention, underscoring their enduring leverage in amplifying economic grievances into political challenges.

 

[primer]

Head of Iran's Central Bank resigns amid protests as rial hits record low against the dollar

 

[Chazman]

So many videos coming out from all over Iran, it's hard to keep up. I wish the Iranian People success.