In Iran's once-thriving bazaars, a long-standing tradition of loyalty has given way to widespread discontent. The merchants who have long supplied the country with essential goods now take to the streets, chanting slogans that are hostile to the regime. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has attempted to distance himself from these protests, portraying them as distinct from a broader wave of unrest sweeping the nation.
However, this narrative is far from convincing. The bazaars, once the bedrock of support for the Islamic Republic, have been steadily eroded over the past two decades. The regime's favouritism towards the military and large religious-revolutionary foundations has led to economic stagnation, chronic inflation, and widespread disillusionment among merchants.
Historically, the bazaar played a pivotal role in Iran's 1979 revolution, with powerful merchant groups forming a tight-knit network of influence within the new state. In the aftermath of the revolution, these merchants were rewarded with control over key institutions and ministries. They secured lucrative import licenses, traded goods to Iranians at inflated prices, and profited from preferential access to the official exchange rate.
However, as the Islamic Republic turned towards economic liberalisation in the 1990s, the bazaar's position began to shift. The regime's attempt to sideline Islamist leftists from power led to a consolidation of influence among conservative forces, who have since dominated Iran's politics.
Despite the bazaar's initial support for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's hardline agenda, his economic policies ultimately accelerated its decline. The transfer of state assets to firms affiliated with the IRGC and large religious-revolutionary foundations further eroded the bazaar's power. These entities now form a powerful new bloc within the state, which has displaced the traditional right.
The protests in Iran's bazaars are not an isolated incident but rather a symptom of deeper economic and political dysfunction. The regime's reliance on sanctions evasion and the dominance of the IRGC have hollowed out even the traditional backbone of the state. Khamenei's remarks suggest anxiety, not confidence, and the bazaar's open defiance highlights the challenge confronting the Islamic Republic.
Sanctions relief remains remote, and rolling back the economic and political power of the IRGC-linked conglomerates offers little incentive for the regime. Confronted with these constraints, repression is a readily available option, even at the cost of further alienating a traditional constituency it once relied on for stability and loyalty.
However, this narrative is far from convincing. The bazaars, once the bedrock of support for the Islamic Republic, have been steadily eroded over the past two decades. The regime's favouritism towards the military and large religious-revolutionary foundations has led to economic stagnation, chronic inflation, and widespread disillusionment among merchants.
Historically, the bazaar played a pivotal role in Iran's 1979 revolution, with powerful merchant groups forming a tight-knit network of influence within the new state. In the aftermath of the revolution, these merchants were rewarded with control over key institutions and ministries. They secured lucrative import licenses, traded goods to Iranians at inflated prices, and profited from preferential access to the official exchange rate.
However, as the Islamic Republic turned towards economic liberalisation in the 1990s, the bazaar's position began to shift. The regime's attempt to sideline Islamist leftists from power led to a consolidation of influence among conservative forces, who have since dominated Iran's politics.
Despite the bazaar's initial support for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's hardline agenda, his economic policies ultimately accelerated its decline. The transfer of state assets to firms affiliated with the IRGC and large religious-revolutionary foundations further eroded the bazaar's power. These entities now form a powerful new bloc within the state, which has displaced the traditional right.
The protests in Iran's bazaars are not an isolated incident but rather a symptom of deeper economic and political dysfunction. The regime's reliance on sanctions evasion and the dominance of the IRGC have hollowed out even the traditional backbone of the state. Khamenei's remarks suggest anxiety, not confidence, and the bazaar's open defiance highlights the challenge confronting the Islamic Republic.
Sanctions relief remains remote, and rolling back the economic and political power of the IRGC-linked conglomerates offers little incentive for the regime. Confronted with these constraints, repression is a readily available option, even at the cost of further alienating a traditional constituency it once relied on for stability and loyalty.
think its weird how khamenei is trying to paint the bazaar protests as separate from the rest of the unrest in iran - like he expects ppl to believe thats just isolated bazaar folk bein all rebellious lol... anyway, i dunno about him distancing himself but im pretty sure the bazaars have been a mess for yrs now cuz of regime favoritism towards military & big relig-rev groups... those guys got all the good deals & profited from inflation - now its ironic that theyre bein challenged by the very ppl who used to prop them up 
but it sounds like those bazaar merchants are fed up with the regime's favoritism towards the military & big foundations 
. the fact that khamenei is trying to distance himself from the protests but it's clear he's anxious about it 
. it's like, what's the point of having loyalty if you're just going to be treated unfairly? 
. It's like, "Hey, we've got inflation, we've got stagnation, and we've got our favorite generals getting rich off the state!" 
The bazaar people are like, "Uh, no thanks, we're good." And now they're taking to the streets... I guess you could say the regime is trying to shut them down, but really it's just giving them more ammo 
. Khamenei's trying to distance himself from the protests, but it's like he's wearing a pair of shoes that are two sizes too small – they're bound to fall off eventually 
.
. Remember when they were the hub of activity, people would gather there to buy everything from spices to carpets? Nowadays, it's like the whole vibe has changed 
. I think the government's favoritism towards the military and these big foundations has messed with the economic balance. It's like they've taken the power away from the people who actually run those bazaars 
The fact that Khamenei is trying to distance himself from it just seems like he's trying to cover his tracks 
. But honestly, the people in those bazaars are showing some serious guts for speaking out 
.
. I feel like that would've been a big turning point for them. Now it seems like they're stuck with this whole situation 
. Anyway, the IRGC is definitely becoming too powerful - who knew they'd end up being the ones running Iran? 
. The bazaar's been a major part of Iran's history, but now they're literally taking to the streets because the regime is just not supporting them anymore 
.
. The government needs to take a long hard look at what's causing all this discontent and figure out a way to address it or risk losing even more support 
! like, I get it, economic stagnation is NO JOKE 
it's all about power struggles and favoritism towards the military and rich foundations 
. The bazaar's been crumbling for years, and now they're just getting desperate 
. It's like, can't they just listen to their people for once? 
. And you're right, sanctions relief is unlikely to happen anytime soon, which means the regime will have to find another way to deal with the crisis.
. The merchants and ordinary people deserve better than to be ignored and silenced 
. It's like, can't we all just get along (and with the economy) already? 