The protests in Iran began in December as merchants at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar closed their shops in response to the plummeting value of the rial and rising economic pressures. Scattered demonstrations quickly spread across the country, driven by dissatisfaction with high inflation and stagnant wages, leading to violent confrontations with security forces. Unlike previous protests focused on sociopolitical issues, the current unrest is rooted in economic desperation, prompting a more responsive approach from President Masoud Pezeshkian’s reformist government. The government has initiated policy measures to address grievances, while also framing the unrest as influenced by external pressures, reiterating the distinction between legitimate protests and rioting.
