As Iran grapples with a multitude of crises, including a collapsing economy, an energy shortage, and severe pollution, protests have re-emerged, demonstrating the widespread discontent among its citizens. Business owners in Tehran, responding to the drastic depreciation of the national currency, have rallied against the deteriorating economic conditions, highlighting the sense of urgency felt by many Iranians. These demonstrations reflect not only the frustration with immediate financial pressures but also the broader struggles against systemic issues that have long plagued the nation.
Several protests broke out in downtown Tehran as shopkeepers closed their businesses in response to the rapidly depreciating national currency. Demonstrators gathered near prominent tech and mobile phone shopping centers in the capital’s Jomhouri area, voicing their frustrations as the economic situation shows no signs of improvement amid multiple persistent crises.
Video footage shared on social media depicted increasing gatherings not only in Jomhouri but also in surrounding neighborhoods. Chants of “Don’t be afraid, we are together” resonated among the crowds, signaling a collective desire for change amid challenging circumstances.
To quell the unrest, authorities deployed a heavy presence of anti-riot personnel, with reports indicating the use of tear gas to disperse the crowds. Many business owners in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar also closed their shops in solidarity, with calls for others to do the same echoing through the market.
While state media acknowledged the protests, they emphasized that the demonstrators’ grievances were rooted solely in economic hardships and not with the ruling system, which has presided since the 1979 revolution that ended the reign of the U.S.-backed shah. The government’s IRNA news agency highlighted concerns among mobile phone vendors, who expressed discontent as their businesses suffered due to the ongoing devaluation of the rial.
On Monday, the rial hit an alarming new low of over 1.42 million per U.S. dollar before slightly recovering. However, the currency crisis is just one of the many issues plaguing the nation. Iran also faces a dire energy crisis, which has exacerbated air pollution, claiming thousands of lives each year. Alongside this, essential water supplies have plunged to critically low levels, aggravating a water crisis affecting Tehran and various urban areas.
The decline in purchasing power for Iran’s 90 million people is compounded by escalating pressures from the U.S., Israel, and European allies regarding Iran’s nuclear program. In June, Israel and the U.S. engaged in a military conflict with Iran, resulting in significant casualties and damaging nuclear facilities monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has since been denied access to the impacted sites.
Nationwide protests erupted in late 2022 and early 2023, ignited by the tragic death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody, which sparked widespread demonstrations against strict Islamic laws. These protests led to a violent crackdown, with hundreds dead, over 20,000 arrested, and several executions. Iranian authorities attributed the unrest to foreign influence and attempts to destabilize the nation.
In a parliamentary session on Sunday, President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the grim realities facing the country while defending a controversially high budget bill that proposes a 20 percent wage increase against an inflation rate hovering around 50 percent—among the highest globally. Taxes are projected to rise by 62 percent, creating further tension as Pezeshkian lamented, “Somebody tell me, where do I get the money from?”
The ongoing protests underscore the mounting economic and social challenges faced by Iranians in a time of crisis, revealing a populace navigating the intersection of immediate survival and the quest for systemic change.
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