NEWS CENTER – Protests triggered by Iran’s deepening economic crisis continue to spread across the country. Demonstrations initially launched by shopkeepers have now gained support from university students.
As the value of the US dollar continues to surge, shopkeepers who say they can no longer make a living have taken to the streets in protest. Actions that began among shopkeepers have expanded nationwide.
In Tehran, shopkeepers went on strike against soaring prices, rampant inflation, heavy tax pressures, and severe market stagnation. Shopkeepers in Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Tabriz, Shiraz, and Ahvaz have kept their shops closed while organizing marches and protest actions.
Meanwhile, students from Sharif University, the University of Tehran, Shahid Beheshti University, Haji Nasir University, as well as universities in Isfahan and Yazd, have staged large-scale demonstrations in support of the protests.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian shared a statement on his virtual media account and said he had instructed the Interior Minister to hold talks with representatives of the protesters. Emphasizing economic reform, Pezeshkian stated: “We will take steps to reform the monetary and banking systems. People’s livelihoods are my daily concern. The government is working with all its strength to resolve these problems.”
Also in a separate post Pezeshkian stated that “any oppressive attack against the Islamic Republic of Iran will be met with a harsh and painful response.”