Children in Ahvaz, southwest Iran, came on the street on October 25, holding leaflets that read, “We are hungry.” Strange scenes that can only be seen in a country where a regime like the mullahs’ regime rule. When the hungry children of Ahvaz come and shout “we are hungry”, did the regime’s president, Hassan Rouhani, who boast of higher economic growth than Germany, hear it? Does Ali Khamenei, the regime’s supreme leader, who has dominated billions of dollars of this oppressed nation’s wealth, hear these cries? Do the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) commanders, who brag about rebuilding cities of Syria, after they destroyed them by helpin Bashar-al Aassad’s reigme, hear these cries?

The picture of Ahvaz’s hungry children published on the web on October 25, shows that these children have shouted their main daily pain by holding tracts. The leaflets read: “The cry of the hungry and forgotten workers.”

The coronavirus outbreak disaster and the panic of Iran’s regime officials

These days, we are in a situation where the COVID-19 disaster has become so widespread in Iran that it has frightened the regime’s authorities. The situation in Iran is so dire due to the coronavirus outbreak, that prompted Khamenei, after nine months, to appear in person and address the crisis.

But apart from the coronavirus outbreak, the cost of the livelihood of families in Iran has risen so rapidly. For example, bread and yogurt have become inaccessible to the poor. The regime, who faced a fiery uprising in November 2019 by tripling the price of gasoline, fears that rising the price of bread will lead to another uprising.  Yet, it is forced to do so, because the regime is short of funds for supporting terrorism abroad.

Increasing the price of bread by Hassan Rouhani’s government

Three months ago, Rouhani’s government first increased the price of bread in some cities. He did not get involved in this issue himself so that if he faced widespread opposition, he would blame the bakers for the high price. Then, a month later, the number of cities that made bread more expensive increased. Rouhani did this to deceive people that rising the price of bread is by his government. Rouhani’s second deception was making some bakers to make bread with flour purchased from free market.  Thus, bakers had to sell expensive bread. Now the high price of bread has become a reality, the government formally announces and raises the price of bread.

Repression policy

In the meantime, the families of unemployed workers, laid-off contract workers, workers who have lost their businesses due to the coronavirus outbreak are in a dire situation that cannot even afford to provide bread for their children.

The regime’s oppressive policies have forced  the deprived Ahvazi families to raise their voices with their children’s as their representatives.

It should be asked whether Khamenei and Rouhani heard the silent shout of Ahvaz’s hungry children who came on the street?