Iran is facing a growing wave of unrest as a collapsing currency and rising inflation push protests beyond Tehran into cities across the country. What began as strikes by shopkeepers has turned into nationwide demonstrations, violent clashes with security forces, and increased pressure on Iran’s leadership at a sensitive geopolitical moment.
How and Why the Protests Started
The protests began after the Iranian rial plunged to a record low against the US dollar, sharply increasing prices for food, fuel, and basic goods. Shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar closed their stores in protest, a rare and symbolic act that quickly inspired demonstrations elsewhere. Within days, unrest spread to other cities.
Videos verified by independent media showed crowds chanting anti-government slogans, police firing tear gas, and shops shuttered across commercial districts. University students soon joined the demonstrations, some chanting slogans against Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali
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