The November 2019 uprising of the Iranian people in 191 cities that began under the pretext of protesting rising gas prices showcased the dislike of the Iranian people for a regime, marked by repression, discrimination, looting, and corruption.  The November uprising was a strategic blow to the regime and was instrumental in cornering it internationally.  The killing of Qassem Soleimani, too, was a serious blow to the regime's credibility beyond its borders.  The mullahs employed an array of propaganda tactics to portray Soleimani as a national hero and organized funeral ceremonies in different cities.  By magnifying Soleimani's loss, the regime's intention was to cover up the killing of 1,500 protesters in the November uprising and to solicit international criticism of President Trump's order to kill Soleimani.  But the downing of the Ukrainian airliner by the IRGC's missiles turned the tables against...(Read Full Post)