Zunes’s main talking points for a series of interviews on the protests in Iran, December 28-31:

• the protests are significant in that the bazaar is, traditionally a backbone of support for the regime, have been in the leadership of the resistance
• there is significant poor and working class participation in the protests, unlike some previous movements which have been disproportionately students, middle class, etc.
• U.S.-led sanctions are unjustifiable and are hurting the economy, but the regime’s corruption, mismanagement, and lack of accountability are the bigger problem
• the economic problems are systemic, so changes at the Central Bank and minor adjustments in fiscal policies will not satisfy most protesters
• the protests are already going beyond economic issues; most Iranians do want at minimum much greater democratization/accountability within the current system and an increasing number want regime change
• the U.S. and Israel will try to take advantage of the situation, but the protests are homegrown and not the result of imperialist machinations
• threats of military action by the U.S. and Israel with likely strengthen the Iran regime, since people tend to rally around the flag in case of outside threats and most Iranians across the political spectrum do not trust either country