Protests and strikes have spread across several Iranian cities for a third consecutive day following a sharp fall in the value of the national currency, the rial, amid rising inflation and economic pressure.
The unrest began on Sunday when shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar went on strike after the rial reached a record low against the US dollar on the open market. Since then, demonstrations have expanded beyond the capital, with verified videos showing protests in cities including Karaj, Hamedan, Qeshm, Malard, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Shiraz and Yazd. Police were seen using tear gas in an attempt to disperse crowds.
Iranian authorities said they acknowledge the protests and would respond with restraint. President Masoud Pezeshkian said he had instructed the interior minister to hold discussions with representatives of the protesters in order to address their concerns. He also accepted the resignation of central bank governor Mohammadreza Farzin and appointed former economy and finance minister Abdolnasser Hemmati as his replacement.
University students have joined the demonstrations, with some chanting anti-government slogans, including calls directed at Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate authority in the country. Other protesters were heard expressing support for the former monarchy, chanting slogans backing Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah.
Reza Pahlavi, who lives in exile in the United States, voiced his support for the protesters on social media, blaming the country’s worsening economic conditions on the current leadership.
The US State Department’s Persian-language account also expressed support for the demonstrators, praising their courage and criticising Iran’s economic management.
Iran’s situation reportedly featured prominently in discussions between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting in Florida on Monday. Following the meeting, President Trump declined to comment on whether he supported regime change in Iran but pointed to the country’s economic struggles. He also suggested he could support further Israeli air strikes if Iran resumed its ballistic missile or nuclear programmes.
Iran has insisted its nuclear activities are peaceful. President Pezeshkian warned on Tuesday that any aggressive action against Iran would be met with a strong response.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has previously accused Israel of attempting to incite unrest in Iran, saying efforts to destabilise the country had failed.
