Iran pumps large Bassij militia forces into Tehran as riots flare
Iran pumps large Bassij militia forces into Tehran as riots flare.
( Roosting chickens? Hope springs eternal… – JW )
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report October 3, 2012, 6:41 PM (GMT+02:00)
The Iranian government Wednesday, Oct. 3, invoked the emergency measures drawn up for the 2009 protests to deploy large-scale Bassij militia forces in the capital and put down the first angry protests against mounting economic hardship and the plummeting rial.
debkafile’s Iranian sources report two waves of riots swept through Tehran’s trading centers Wednesday:
the stores trading gold coins and foreign currency on Fereowsi, Estanbol and Manoucheri Streets, and the celebrated gold jewelry market in the Tehran Bazaar.
Money changers and gold traders attacked police forces and torched their vehicles, playing cat and mouse with the officers after they arrested some of the money changers and accused them of black market dealings.
This was part of the regime’s effort to curtail the steep plunge of the Iranian currency against the dollar. Wednesday, a dollar went for 40,000 rials compared with 37,500 rials Tuesday and 24,000 only a week ago.
Fearing that the troubles Wednesday presaged a general strike shutting down the bazaar for an indefinite period, the authorities decided to draw the line before the unrest spread to the rest of the capital and other cities.
Two teams are now at work to deal with the crisis before it gets out of hand: One is meeting at the office of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; the second, including Interior Minister Mostafa Mohamnmad-Najjar and Revolutionary commander of the Tehran district, is working on ways to rein in the crisis in the presidential bureau of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Both have received intelligence briefings, according to which there was a real risk of the Tehran merchants’ revolt igniting a popular uprising in Tehran that may well encompass the entire country.
The brutal Bassij militia were accordingly sent into Tehran. They were told to spread out early Thursday and force the merchants to open their shops. They were directed to act firmly but cautiously and avoid loss of life. Iran’s rulers are fully aware the any blood spilt at this stage would quickly inflame the masses.
WarSclerotic 
October 3, 2012 at 9:43 PM
We have just learned, before a short time, that Turkey has just attacked targets on syrian territory as a retaliation to the syrian army mortar attack into the turkish territory, which left dead a number of turkish citizens.
As we have already stated yesterday, the syrian war cannot be contained into Syria anymore.
http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=286516
October 3, 2012 at 10:03 PM
Yeah this isn’t looking good
October 3, 2012 at 10:52 PM
Syria will put the blame on the ”terrorists” for the mortar attack and will be more careful in the future. Until the next incident.
October 3, 2012 at 10:56 PM
Update from NATO –
North Atlantic Council statement on developments on the Turkish-Syrian border
As stated on 26 June 20l2, the Alliance continues to closely follow the situation in Syria. In view of the Syrian regime’s recent aggressive acts at NATO’s southeastern border, which are a flagrant breach of international law and a clear and present danger to the security of one of its Allies, the North Atlantic Council met today, within the framework of Article 4 of the Washington Treaty, and discussed the continuous shelling of locations in Turkey adjacent to the Turkish-Syrian border by the Syrian regime forces.
The most recent shelling on 3 October 20l2, which caused the death of five Turkish citizens and injured many, constitutes a cause of greatest concern for, and is strongly condemned by, all Allies.
In the spirit of indivisibility of security and solidarity deriving from the Washington Treaty, the Alliance continues to stand by Turkey and demands the immediate cessation of such aggressive acts against an Ally, and urges the Syrian regime to put an end to flagrant violations of international law.
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-C933B13D-89C8FE55/natolive/news_90447.htm