Some, at least, seem to oppose the Iranian republic's specifically Islamic character

Rouhani urges calm

Widespread and sometimes violent demonstrations that began days ago as peaceful protests against economic conditions are now, at least sometimes, aimed at a different target.

After four days of rare protests in Iran, President Hassan Rouhani tried to calm the nation on Sunday, saying that people had the right to protest and acknowledging public worries over the economy and corruption.

But local news reports said he also exhorted Iranians not resort to violence, after reports of protesters attacking banks and municipal buildings across the nation, including a local government building in Tehran.

Video shared on social media showed the police in Tehran firing water cannon to try to disperse demonstrators in Ferdowsi Square, Reuters reported. The footage could not be independently confirmed.

Two protesters were reported killed in recent days in the city of Dorud, and there have been reports of dozens arrested across Iran.

The unrest began as a protest over rising prices and other economic difficulties, and quickly grew into a nationwide outpouring of anger against the government, including over corruption.

. . . .

The unauthorized protests have challenged the authorities, with crowds turning revolutionary slogans against the government of the Islamic Republic, which took power after a revolution in 1979.

Protesters in Tehran and elsewhere have called for the resignation of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as witnesses have described crowds chanting “Death to the dictator” and “Clerics should get lost.”

Postings on social media showed what the posters said were demonstrators in Dorud, including bonfires in the street and graphic images of people with bloody wounds. 

At least one of the videos was verified by BBC Persian.

Meanwhile, the president who endorses torture, the third degree, the murder of the families of terrorists, and police brutality warned Iranian authorities about human rights abuses - imagine Himmler pretending such concerns - and missed the evolution of the protests from pocket-book issues toward political radicalism.

President Trump, who as the protests spread had tweeted, “The world is watching!” doubled down on his criticism of the Iranian government on Sunday. 

He posted on Twitter: “The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!”