Attacks on Iranian clerics increased during the past month

Is the end of the theocracy in Iran finally near?

"Unidentified individuals have attacked clerics in four separate incidents in April, marking a four-fold increase in violence against religious figures compared to January, February, and March 2023. The recent attacks coincide with the implementation of a new veiling enforcement plan on April 15, which uses advanced surveillance technology to identify unveiled women and punishes the owners of public spaces who fail to enforce veiling. ... An individual who seemingly attempted to run over a cleric in Tehran City, Tehran Province on April 27 expressed frustration with being unable to find work, which indicates the economic problems the regime has failed to fix are motivating violence.

These attacks could create fissures between the clerical establishment and the regime. Some clerics--such as Ayatollah Mustafa Mohaghegh Damad and Ayatollah Asadollah Bayat Zanjani--have previously criticized the regime’s violence against citizens. ..."

Iran Update, May 5, 2023 | Critical Threats Attacks on Iranian clerics increased during the past month, which may reflect broader public antipathy to the regime's sociocultural and economic policies.