Iran Has Lost The Ability To Predict And Prevent Waves Of Protest That Continue To Emerge -Hajjarian

According to an Iran International English report of Wednesday 25 of February 2026, Tehran’s political commentators has continued to sound alarms about social fragmentation, economic deterioration and recurring unrest, even as there is little indication that such warnings are shaping decisions at the highest levels of power.

More than a month after protests swept several cities in January 2026, Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has shown no public inclination to engage a frustrated population or adjust policies in response to rising domestic criticism. The absence of outreach has reinforced perceptions that the leadership remains unmoved by mounting pressure from within society.

On Tuesday, February 24, prominent reformist strategist, Saeed Hajjarian, warned that the political system “has lost the ability to predict and prevent the waves of protest that continue to emerge one after another.” He argued that unrest has become cyclical, driven less by isolated events than by unresolved structural problems.

Hajjarian also said that since 2021, Iranian presidents have effectively served as “chief executives for Khamenei,” signalling what critics describe as the erosion of executive autonomy. Former President, Ebrahim Raisi, openly referred to himself as the Supreme Leader’s “soldier,” while his successor, Massoud Pezeshkian, has repeatedly stated that his mandate is to carry out Khamenei’s policies.

According to Hajjarian, protest movements will continue “as long as the system remains incapable of tolerating reforms, even those emerging from within.” His assessment pointed to institutional rigidity as a core driver of instability, rather than temporary public anger.

Critics say that this rigidity extends into the economic sphere. Khamenei’s longstanding resistance to reform has coincided with a worsening financial crisis, yet repeated economic warnings have gone largely unaddressed.

Earlier this week, the news website, Fararu, cautioned leaders about intensifying social fragmentation and polarization. Instead of de-escalation, authorities deployed Basij forces to confront student protests on university campuses, placing young Iranians in direct conflict with one another.

Fararu warned that “polarization reduces the chances for dialogue and increases violence in society.” Without sustained dialogue, it said, rival groups increasingly see one another as “enemies,” making disputes harder to resolve.

Economic anxieties have followed a similar trajectory. Economist Hossein Raghfar, speaking to Khabar Online, said that the January protests, while political in form, were rooted primarily in economic hardship and state inefficiency. He noted: “The government is certainly responsible, but major decisions are made elsewhere,” adding that “it is obvious that the entire responsibility does not rest with the government.”

Raghfar warned that subsidy removals on basic goods have weakened Iran amid rising external pressure, pushing the country “to the brink of war” while intensifying public dissent. He again urged authorities to avoid further cuts to essentials such as gasoline and bread, cautioning that another economic shock could deepen unrest……See More