Islamic Propaganda Coordination Council

"The Islamic Propaganda Coordination Council called for countrywide, pro-regime protests on October 28 to condemn the US and Israel for their alleged roles in stoking the protests.¹ The council is responsible for overseeing and coordinating various media and socio-cultural initiatives across the regime. The supreme leader appoints the council chairman." The Council also condemned several protesters who, they claimed, "insulted the sanctity of the Holy Quran and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), set fire to a number of mosques and sacred flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran, assaulted the hijab of women, vandalized public properties, and undermined the security of people."² By linking the protests to Iran's purported foreign enemies and accusing protesters of serious crimes—including sacrilegious ones—the Council is laying the groundwork for state violence against—and politically motivated prosecutions of—demonstrators. The Council is headed by Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, who also chairs Iran's Assembly of Experts and is secretary of the Guardian Council.³

Sources:

1. https://www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/iran-crisis-update-october-27

2. https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2022/09/23/2778071/rallies-held-in-iran-to-condemn-violent-riots

3. https://www.leader.ir/en/content/20187/Ayatollah-Khamenei%27s-meeting-with-officials-of-Coordination-Council-for-Islamic-propagation