This is a caption

“این یک عنوان است”

“This is a caption.”
Behrouz Kazemi

Three preliminary points:

A few years ago, a friend asked me, “What has been the most appealing thing about life outside of Iran for you? Freedom? Leisure? Or what?” I said, “The feeling of freedom! It’s not just about having it, but being able to understand what it feels like when you are free!”

2- Just take a walk around Taksim Square in Istanbul on a summer afternoon and you will see many Iranians who have come to Turkey for travel. Many of these tourists are from the middle class and have only had a few foreign trips, mostly to Turkey and Dubai. However, those who have lived outside of Iran for years will notice many subtle differences in the behavior of Iranians who are leaving the country for the first time.

3- A few years ago, Mohammad Khoradadian, after living in America for years, came to Iran and was arrested and ultimately sentenced. In his sentence, there was a clause that struck a sensitive nerve. A sentence that has been issued and continues to be issued for many political prisoners: 10 years of travel ban!

“At the same time, the blogger had written: “Usually when someone is being tried, they are put in prison (cage). Doesn’t this sentence mean that not leaving Iran is like staying in something similar to a prison and not being able to enjoy many things such as the feeling of freedom, especially for the middle class?”

Increase in fees for leaving the country or the end of hope?

Many believe that the transparent announcement of the budget in 1396 made many people aware of the secrets of the deteriorating economic situation and the stagnation of the country. Part of this social shock can be seen on social networks and in discussions about the budget allocations for religious centers. However, in the budget for the coming year, the increase in the rate of exit fees from the country had also affected social networks for a few days, to the point that it convinced government officials and parliamentarians to make changes in it.

It seems that the group most affected by this change were those that we classify as middle class. This group in society, despite having high scientific and cultural potential, is economically weak and even the smallest change in their economic situation has a significant impact on their daily lives. Individuals in this class have similar social desires to those in the higher economic class, but with much more limited financial capabilities.

In the past years, the experience of living abroad and changing the “perception of freedom” from common freedoms in the world to a “tangible perception” has become a growing issue among the Iranian society. This need is especially prevalent among the middle class, which is rapidly growing. For governments that have less experience with democracy, the middle class is important because it has a less revolutionary attitude and a more active role in social and political spheres. The base of reformists and moderates in Iran is mostly within this class. While a larger population in this class may decrease the chances of sudden events – such as riots and revolutions – the decrease in hope can have irreparable consequences for the government and the country. This is currently happening in Iran.

After the recent street protests in Iran (which were unprecedented in many ways), some experts believed that the transparent declaration of the budget played a serious role in inciting the people. People who were one of the few sources of joy for them, were these short trips outside of Iran. This price difference in the fees for leaving the country is significant for this numerical class. In these circumstances, they are now forced to pay several times the fees for leaving the country, and as an example, we should see the strange increase in the budget of religious institutions.

Reactions to recent protests have shown that a portion of the people – many of whom are from the middle class – no longer have much hope for reform and improving their situation. They had experienced years of public participation in political issues, sacrificing and still holding onto hope. When government spokespersons tried to justify the increase in exit fees as support for domestic tourism infrastructure and attracting foreign tourists, many did not accept it because other budget items were in front of their eyes. People had voted for a government and parliament that could gradually improve their suffering after the turbulent era of Ahmadinejad, but sometimes a simple setback can lead to the collapse of many hopes.

Perhaps in normal circumstances, many of the people who protest and complain about this increase, may no longer have the ability to travel abroad, but their hope has been wounded. This kind of increase in rates in this class – and in other words, the majority of the people – has created the belief that participating or not participating in political and legal developments has little effect. Where the government is short of money, instead of cutting unnecessary expenses and reducing the budget of special institutions, it looks at the people’s pockets. People who no longer have much in their pockets and have the right to use their limited financial resources to have a chance to enjoy basic leisure activities and temporary freedoms; something that seems to be taken away from them as well.

If the rulers of Iran are looking for the root cause of recent protests, they must pay attention to what has happened that a part of the same people who participated in a relatively enthusiastic election a few months ago and naturally should have discharged some of their critical energy, now come to the streets and prepare for heavy expenses? This group is the chance of peaceful change, and their fading can lead to different events in the future. Perhaps the increase in the rate of exit fees for the government has justifications, but in the “current sensitive conditions” it is only a sign for a large part of the Iranian people: we do not have the right to enjoy life and there is not much hope left.

Gabriel Marcel, the famous French philosopher, understands the meaning of hope differently. He believes that hope is an inner state that creates the belief that evil will never ultimately triumph. He sees having hope as a chance for a society to believe in a better future. Now imagine a society that sees many signs of hopelessness. Even an ordinary citizen can be terrified by the thought of this society.