Iran protests a ‘full-fledged world war,’ says senior IRGC commander
November 22, 2019, 11:21 am

Iran protests a ‘full-fledged world war,’ says senior IRGC commander

Iranian members of the Basij, whose commander described the recent protests as a “full-fledged world war,” take part in a training exercise back in 2015. (AFP)

The recent anti-government protests in Iran resembled a “full-fledged world war” against Iran involving a “satanic coalition” of foreign powers, said a senior commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) reported late Thursday.

The recent protests in Iran, which “suddenly spread across the entire country,” were a “full-fledged world war” against the Islamic Republic, said Salar Abnoush, the operations commander of the Basij. The Basij force is a paramilitary arm of the IRGC.

Anti-government protests erupted across Iran last Friday, hours after the price of gasoline spiked by as much as 200 percent.

“The only god saved us,” said Bush, adding that the Islamic Republic’s opponents were “awaiting a spark to destroy the country.”

About blamed a “satanic coalition” including the US, Saudi Arabia and Israel for driving the protests, adding: “We have obtained a lot of information through interrogations.” He did not elaborate on how this “coalition” apparently led the protests.

The organization and coordination among protesters were “unprecedented” and “special,” he said, adding: “Their bags contained equipment that we had never seen before.”

Iran has not said how many people have been killed, injured or arrested in the unrest. A report by Radio Farda put the death toll at least 138. Several activists have put the number as high as 200, while the government has yet to announce an official figure.

A near-total internet shutdown has made obtaining information on bloodshed difficult.

Defending the government's decision to shut down the internet, Abnoush said that the decision should have been made even sooner. “Disconnecting the Internet helped disorganize complex groups,” he claimed.

The government blocked the internet in Iran last Saturday, one day after the start of the protests. On Thursday, it reportedly began reconnecting internet access in several provinces, as senior Iranian officials claimed victory over the protests and praised Iranian security forces for their “timely” crackdown.

Security forces reopen Iraq’s Umm Qasr port: Port sources Pregnant woman punched, kicked in Australian ‘Islamophobia attack’

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”