By Dr. Mark Kass, Ph.D. – Chief, Pacific Rim Desk – SITREP
Both China and Iran have been experiencing serious unrest that has impacted their societies. From the Chinese perspective this has contributed to civil unrest and caused a continuing economic downturn as well as significant protests that have led to a strict COVID enforcement program being “silenced”
There are other consequences for China as well. Just after the 20th Party Congress set out a new “vision” for China under the tutelage of President Xi, the leader for life, the COVID lockdown disturbances has caused the Xi regime to suffer serious consequences and a loss of face. President Xi is attempting to overcome these disturbances by reaching out to other leaders such as Mohammed Bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia to forge new relationships and buttress the potentially failing Chinese economy.
For Iran, strife has resulted from different circumstances. Beginning with the unnecessary death of Mahsa Amini on 9/27/22, for flouting the Hijab Rule, the turbulence in that society has continued to spiral out of control, including direct attacks on the Revolutionary Guard and other state sponsored terror enforcers of the Iranian Regime. This has from a philosophical perspective included the comments attacking the regime by the sister of Ayatolah Khamenei’s (Spiritual Leader of Iran’s) sister, Badri Hosseini Khamenei. This circumstances have surpassed the Iranian Green Movement disturbances starting in 2009, and are now at a level with the Iranian Revolution itself.
The impact of the disturbances for Iran is even more telling than the strife in China. First it is causing them additional pressures from the West to reform their society. Second, large portions of the governing political infrastructure are now under significant stress resulting in a more omnipresent bunker mentality. Also, there is an increasing level of violence perpetrated against the citizens of Iran who are now so fed up that they can not take it any more. The situation continues to escalate.
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Dr. Mark Kass is currently Managing Director for Ph. Diversified Services, Inc., a global political risk and consulting firm. In addition, to his duties with this organization, Dr. Kass is active in the academic world teaching International Relations and other subject matter for several universities; teaching students at the Doctoral level to the Undergraduate level throughout the world. Dr. Kass is also an active blogger.
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