The demonstrations that convulsed more than 100 cities and towns in Iran back in December and January have largely subsided, but that doesn't mean the government in Tehran is out of the woods yet. Iranians remain unhappy and unsettled about their future while a power struggle is gathering force at the top.
A unique and unwieldy regime that splits authority between a clerical supreme leader and directly elected institutions, the Iranian system has always been plagued by factionalism. The recent protests were in part a result of those struggles: opponents of President Hassan Rouhani staged the first demonstrations in the hardline stronghold of Mashhad. Propelled by videos shared through cellphone apps and social media, the demonstrations quickly spread. Slogans escalated from demands for back pay and complaints about water shortages to calls for the downfall of the regime.
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