Nightly rallies and waves of flags expose divisions inside Iran.

Ajouté : 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]These rallies have been taking place in Iranian cities every night for over two months straight against the backdrop of conflict. Iranians opinions about them highlight social divisions exacerbated by the war. Some see them as state sponsored displays telling people how to think and behave. We're voicing their words for their security.

[00:00:22]>> When you go outside, you see flag waivers everywhere. My god, they annoy me so much. I get so darned angry when I see them. In this rubbish situation, you see 30 or 40 absolute morons, complete idiots coming and standing and waving flags for four or 5 hours. They annoy me so much. Road closures to allow for the rallies have worsened already dire city traffic. Convoys whiz around late at night blasting slogans from loudspeakers. And Cameron, a man in his 30s, said he was threatened at a police checkpoint where he was told that he had to participate in the rallies. I got corrupt for a bit. They threatened me a bit and set common wave flags at night or will write a report against you. Then they let me go. The war has definitely caused a lot of divisions. And in everything, the extremists only support their own kind. They want everyone to either be like them or to disappear.

[00:01:25]This really became clear after the war started.

[00:01:28]>> For others, the gatherings are a show of national unity in the face of foreign attack.

[00:01:34]>> When a foreign threat reaches national borders, when a school in Minab is bombed, we Iranians know how to put domestic disputes aside for later. These gatherings mean that the national sovereignty is a red line for us. That is we solve our problems ourselves not with foreign tutilage.