https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/a7fcb42c-6b86-4a59-93a1-f96163a50cf0 47 years ago, Iran had a revolution that replaced a US-allied monarchy with an anti-Western theocracy. Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran may be on the verge of a counterrevolution. The deadly protests now unfolding across the country were sparked by a fiscal crisis. On the 28th December, Iran’s currency - the rial - plunged to 1.48 million to the dollar. At the time of the 1979 revolution, it was 70 to the dollar. That’s a depreciation of more than 99%. Merchants pouring out of Tehran’s central bazaar were soon joined in the streets by ordinary Iranians watching their purchasing power plummet by the hour. The country is suffering from a severe water shortage, due not only to drought but to chronic mismanagement of infrastructure that to many symbolises the hollowness of a regime that has long rewarded ideological loyalty over competence. Many also blame it on a “water mafia” linked to the military: making it a symbol of the economic stagnation of corruption. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is deeply unpopular among the country’s population of over 90 million– yet their military strength has so far protected the regime. By contrast, last year’s devastating 12-day war - in which US and Israeli air strikes pummelled nuclear facilities, killing dozens of civilians and hospitalising thousands - called into question the regime’s ability to defend its people. As economic, political and security concerns coincided, the protests spread to all 31 provinces within a week. And its demands changed: from economic relief to the overthrowing of the Islamic Republic. So too, the government’s response has changed. After initially attempting to appease protesters with subsidies, the government has now cracked down with force. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Introduction 01:23 - Opening explainer 04:22 - Hoda Katebi, Iranian-American activist and writer 13:50 - Vali Nasr, Iranian-American political scientist 22:23 - Trita Parsi, Iranian-Swedish writer and co-founder of Quincy Institute Support stories that matter. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0fZh5SBxxMNYdg0VzRFkg/join Catch previous episodes of MEE LIVE, our biweekly news programme exploring the stories shaping our world through breaking coverage, expert analysis, and hard-hitting interviews. Originally airing Tuesdays & Thursdays at 12pm ET | 5pm BST Got a story tip or question? Reach us at MEELive@middleeasteye.org Subscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWH Subscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TG Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteye Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEye Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEye Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:03:01 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://tankie.tube https://tankie.tube/lazy-static/avatars/3ba3ff73-a8b6-49c9-add8-9653ef090c7f.webp https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/a7fcb42c-6b86-4a59-93a1-f96163a50cf0 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://tankie.tube/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.