With the increase of the public degradation of “thugs” on the streets of Iran, in what authorities are calling “maneuvers of power”, the regime has spread its repressive plans to other cities and provinces.
In recent days regime officials announced the establishment of bases in various cities of Iran.
On October 19, in a broadcast by the regime’s state-run television, Mohammad Reza Yazdi, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Mohammad Rasul brigade in Tehran said, “The Razaviun patrol units started its work in 2018 to maintain security. In 2019, its structure was completed, and their services expanded in 2020… In coordination with our brave brothers in the State Security Forces and Tehran’s prosecutor’s office, we have deployed Razaviun units in all cities to maintain the security… These efforts will continue until we can stop any attempt at disrupting security in the capillaries of cities.”
Widespread arrests
The regime has resorted to widespread arrests. Though the official motive behind the crackdown is crime prevention, these measures are politically motivated and designed to intimidate and subdue Iranians to prevent protests against the regime’s absolute rule.
It is worth noting that November 2019, as nationwide protests expanded to most provinces of the country, Ali Fadavi, the deputy commander of the IRGC declared a surge in the deployment of the Razaviun security patrol units, which are run by the paramilitary Bassij Force and aim to quell anti-regime protests in every town and city.
On October 14, Abdollah Hassani, the commander of State Security Forces in Semnan province reported the arrests of 3,000 thieves in six months, according to the state-run Hamshahri Online. Hassani added that 80 percent of the arrested individuals were under the age of 35, and also reported an uptick in “cybercrime” and increased activity by the regime’s cyberpolice.
On the same day, Abdollah Hassani, the commander of State Security Forces in Semnan province reported the arrests of 3,000 thieves in six months, according to the state-run Hamshahri Online. Hassani added that 80 percent of the arrested individuals were under the age of 35, and also reported an uptick in “cybercrime” and increased activity by the regime’s cyberpolice.
On October 17, Nabiollah Ghassemi, the commander of State Security Forces in Kuhdasht, Lorestan province, reported 98 arrests in police operations, as reported by the semi-official ISNA news agency. Ghassemi added, “The continuation of police security plans aims to preempt bad behavior and maintain public peace and security. These goals have been prioritized by the police.”
On the same day, Nabiollah Ghassemi, the commander of State Security Forces in Kuhdasht, Lorestan province, reported 98 arrests in police operations, as reported by the semi-official ISNA news agency. Ghassemi added, “The continuation of police security plans aims to preempt bad behavior and maintain public peace and security. These goals have been prioritized by the police.”
On October 18, Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the IRGC, quoted Rahim Jahanbakhsh, the commander of State Security Forces in Zanjan province, as saying that 1,500 “security disruptors” were apprehended in the past eight months. Jahanbakhsh described these people as individuals who “spread rumors and cause tensions in the society” and said, “Cyberspace is a reality of the society, and this space has become a reality, which requires the expansion of security efforts in this domain.”
Also on October 18, Ali Akbar Javidan, the commander of State Security Forces in Kermanshah province reported that the regime had arrested 5,550 people as “thugs and thieves” in the first six months of the Persian calendar year (March-September), according to IRNA. “[Security forces] will not allow any group to cause tensions and fear in the society and the people,” Javidan said.
Suppressing “thugs” to prevent protests
According to state-media reports published in the 1990s, following major protests in the northeastern city of Mashhad and Tehran’s Eslamshahr, the regime’s security institutions reached the conclusion that “thugs” were important players in protests.
An IRGC official also said that during nationwide protests in 2009, the regime “identified 5,000” people who took part in protests but “were not affiliated with any parties or political groups” and were “thugs and hooligans”.
“We controlled them in their homes. When there were calls for street protests, they were not allowed to leave their homes,” Hossein Hamedani who died in 2015 in Syria added.
