Floods in Iran: Officials Emphasize Compensation for Damages; Some Protests Against Government and Revolutionary Guards Confirmed

While officials of the Islamic Republic emphasize that material damages to flood victims in various parts of Iran will be compensated, Iranian state media have confirmed reports of protests against several Revolutionary Guard commanders, parliament members, and government officials.

In recent days, videos, images, and reports of protests against various political and military officials in different parts of Iran have been circulated; including during the breach of flood barriers and in the process of providing assistance to flood-affected citizens.

On Wednesday night, Ahmad Khademsidalshohada, commander of one of the Revolutionary Guard bases in southern Iran, told Iran’s state news agency IRNA: “Today we went to inspect the flood situation in the sugarcane farm areas of Amir Kabir when the flood-affected farmers in the region had protests.”

Mr. Khademsidalshohada says some young people in the region became “somewhat emotional and agitated” and protested; however, “we will continue our mission, which is to save people’s lives, regardless of their anger.”

He added: “We are forced to break flood barriers in some places so that water can be diverted away from cities and villages, which will inevitably cause damage and harm to some farmers as well.”

This senior Revolutionary Guard official was referring to the breaking of flood barriers in some areas, which is said to have faced public opposition as people do not want to lose their farms and agricultural lands.

However, regarding the government’s activities and the actions of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, verbal tensions have also developed between officials of this institution and the government.

Previously, Ramadan Sharif, spokesman for the Revolutionary Guard Corps, had said that “the treatment of Revolutionary Guard units toward people and pressure on them to evacuate residential buildings in flood-affected areas” is a rumor and “propaganda.”

Another protest that has resonated in media and Iranian news agencies goes back to the presence of the representative of Poldokhtar and the governor of Lorestan.

Yesterday, videos were released showing the presence of some Iranian officials, including Mohsen Rezaei, in Poldokhtar and protests and slogans against them.

ILNA news agency now quotes “an informed source” saying: “The angry and dissatisfied people of Poldokhtar county, due to the critical conditions caused by floods and the failure to address their problems, as well as the weakness of officials in providing emergency assistance, had a strong reaction when confronted with these two officials (the parliamentary representative and the governor) and strongly complained about the current situation and neglect.”

Simultaneously, officials of the Islamic Republic have emphasized that the damages in flood-affected areas “will be fully compensated.” Including Ali Larijani, speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, who said last night: “Flood victims should not be concerned about compensation for damages.” The leader of the Islamic Republic also said: “These destructions and destruction of homes and farms must be and will be compensated.”

Nevertheless, some observers, as well as social media users, by referring to the reconstruction process of some crisis-stricken areas in Iran in previous years, including reconstruction and compensation efforts in some areas after earthquakes, raise doubts.

For example, one can refer to the Bam earthquake, where years after the destruction of the city, it was still accompanied by a slow process and accompanied by protests from people and experts. Months after the Kermanshah earthquake, people faced a shortage of sanitation services, and a year later tens of thousands of people still lived in tents and containers.

Crisis management during the earthquakes in Ahar and Varzaghan in East Azerbaijan faced severe criticism from officials and parliament members. Protests against the performance of Iran’s state radio and television during crises and natural disasters is another issue that has been raised several times so far.

Source: Radio Farda