Widespread Protests in Iran Over Inflation and Currency Devaluation
Protests and strikes over inflation and currency devaluation have spread across multiple cities in Iran on the third day of unrest, including Karaj, Hamedan, Qeshm, Malard, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Shiraz, and Yazd.
The unrest began in Tehran after Grand Bazaar shopkeepers staged a strike as the rial hit a record low against the US dollar on the open market.
In response, police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators in several cities.
The Iranian government acknowledged the protests and stated it will listen with patience; President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered talks with representatives of the protesters to address their concerns.
Pezeshkian also accepted the resignation of central bank governor Mohammadreza Farzin and appointed Abdolnasser Hemmati as his replacement.
University students joined the protests, chanting anti-government slogans targeting the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Some protesters chanted in support of the late Shah's son, Reza Pahlavi, who is in exile in the United States and has voiced support for the protesters.
The US State Department's Persian-language account expressed support for the protests, praising the protesters' courage and dignity and standing with those seeking a better future after years of economic mismanagement.
