Another Arab Spring Builds, Driven by “Discontent Approaching Despair”

In early January, Tunisia and Iran witnessed remarkably similar periods of spontaneous and widespread unrest. In each case, the demonstrations failed to rise to revolutionary levels, but the protests lingered for days and the worst of the violence was contained only after hundreds of arrests. Low level protests continue in each country to this day. Although the scale of Iran’s initial unrest captured much of the world’s attention, policymakers and investors would be well advised to consider the two events together. To do so shows that protests in each country were driven by the same complaints that ignited the Arab Spring, leaving few doubts that the region remains susceptible to further and sudden fractures. Indeed, many leaders in the Middle East likely squirm in response to the popular Tunisian protestors’ campaign call “Fech Nestanaou.” (What are we waiting for?)