DUBAI, Jan 6: In Tehran, Iran, widespread protests over the country’s economic collapse escalated on Tuesday as demonstrators staged a sit-in at the Grand Bazaar, the historic hub of Iran’s trade and politics.
Security forces responded with tear gas to disperse the protesters, while many shops closed in solidarity or fear. The unrest comes amid a severe depreciation of the Iranian rial, which hit a record low of 1.46 million rials per US dollar on Tuesday, following drastic cuts by the Central Bank to subsidized dollar exchange rates for importers and producers.The reductions are expected to further increase prices for essential goods, already straining ordinary Iranians.
The ongoing unrest has resulted in at least 35 deaths, including protesters, children, and members of security forces, with more than 1,200 arrests reported.
Videos and eyewitness accounts have shown security forces using force against civilians, including in Ilam province, where authorities allegedly stormed a hospital while pursuing demonstrators. President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered an investigation into the Ilam incidents, acknowledging the government’s limited capacity to control the crisis.
The economic turmoil is compounded by decades of international sanctions and domestic inflation, which have dramatically eroded savings and caused shortages of basic goods.
Prices for items such as cooking oil, cheese, chicken, and imported rice have spiked, adding to public anger.
Protests have spread to over 250 locations across 27 provinces, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction with the theocracy and its handling of the economic crisis.
US President Donald Trump warned Iran against violently suppressing demonstrators, prompting threats from Iranian officials to target American forces.
The unrest follows months of political tension and economic hardship, raising fears of a prolonged crisis in the country. (AP)
