Narrative Hijacked, Iranian Protests’ Violent Turn Felt ‘Orchestrated'
January 23, 2026
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12:54Now PlayingNarrative Hijacked, Iranian Protests’ Violent Turn Felt ‘Orchestrated'
YouTube Description
as posted by the channelSpeaking to Drop Site News, Tehran-based essayist and photographer Kaveh Rostamkhani said the shift in Iran’s protests did not feel “organic.” While market-driven demonstrations in Tehran had clear economic demands, he said events elsewhere followed a different pattern. The unrest in small towns erupted “simultaneously,” and became “very radical.”
“It lacked something natural,” Rostamkhani said, adding that “it felt as if the means were to provoke reactions from the Iranian regime,” even as he stressed that the initial protests were rooted in real and legitimate grievances.
He stated that the sudden narrative shift and violent escalation felt "orchestrated."
Kaveh Rostamkhani on Instagram
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