Tehran leaders lose touch but protesters lack organisation

PARIS: Iran’s regime has lost touch with the aspirations of its people but it is still far from certain that the opposition protest movement is ready to seize power, experts say.

The street battles that rocked Tehran and other major cities over the Ashura holiday show the demonstrations have entered a new phase, with increased state repression and more violent incidents.

But unlike the 1979 revolution that overthrew the shah, Iran’s latest uprising is not led by a well-organised opposition in exile.

The largely spontaneous protest movement does not appear poised to take over. Former Iranian legislator Ahmad Salamatian said the civic revolt was “not organised and non-hierarchical” and warned that “it should not fall into the trap of violence, because it’s not clear that the middle classes would follow”. Read more at www.theaustralian.com.au