‘We want the mullahs gone’: economic crisis sparks biggest protests in Iran since 2022 | Iran

A.Iborz, a textile merchant in the central Iranian city of Isfahan, decided he could no longer sit on the sidelines. He closed his shop and took to the streets; He joined merchants across Iran who closed their stores and students who took over their campuses to protest falling economic conditions.

The sudden loss of purchasing power pushed Alborz and tens of thousands of Iranians onto the streets, where protests entered their fourth day. Students paralyzed college campuses, merchants closed their stores, and demonstrators blocked the streets, defying the police. Protests spread from the capital Tehran to many cities in Iran.

Despite the risk of going to prison for his political activism, the father of four had run out of options. The national currency fell to its lowest level in history on Sunday, further increasing the pressure on Alborz, who was already struggling to provide for his family.

“What will my children eat? Do we have to bring bags of money just to buy bread? Do you find this normal?” Alborz told the Guardian over the phone, speaking under a pseudonym because he feared security retaliation.

The unprecedented depreciation of the national currency on Sunday, when the Iranian rial fell to 1.42 million against the US dollar, a loss of more than 56% in six months, was a breaking point for the already struggling economy and population. The falling currency caused inflation to rise; Food prices increased by an average of 72% compared to the same period last year.

Iran is also under some of the world’s most intense sanctions; these sanctions increase inflation as the country tries to access frozen funds and foreign currency abroad; This situation is exacerbated by increasing dependence on imports.

The protests are the largest in Iran since 2022, when Iranians erupted in anger over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for not wearing her hijab properly. These protests were violently suppressed and eventually extinguished.

Social media in Iran has been filled with videos of protesters chanting anti-government slogans and throwing stones at security forces. In a video from Tehran, a lone man blocks the path of security services on a motorcycle as crowds of protesters dodge tear gas.

Although the protests began as demonstrations against deteriorating living conditions, they have expanded to express grievances about the way Iran is governed. Women’s rights defenders, tradesmen and students began chanting slogans such as “death to the dictator” and “women, life, freedom”, which could put people in prison.

Alborz said: “For years, we have slowly but surely made significant changes in our way of life because of this corrupt government. This was the final nail in the coffin. We wanted this regime gone and there is no way this regime can continue anymore.”

The government, still reeling from a brutal 12-day war with Israel in June that shook the foundations of the Iranian regime, called for dialogue with protest leaders. Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian said the government should listen to the “legitimate demands” of protesters.

But they are wary of the offer, believing it is an attempt to concede to their demands and stem the momentum of the rare protest movement.

“It must be naive to think that Iranians trust this government or regime,” said Farhad, a 19-year-old university student who is active in the protest movement and speaks under a pseudonym.

He and other students described how security forces confiscated student IDs and beat and arrested some protesters. A protester in Tehran sent the Guardian an image of a metal pellet being fired at them by security forces. The Guardian was unable to independently verify the protester’s claim.

“If the administration wanted to talk, they wouldn’t have used tear gas, they wouldn’t have shot at the protesters, and if there was dialogue, they wouldn’t have executed the protesters in 2023. None of us have any desire to talk to them, we want the mullahs to go and we want democracy,” Farhad added.

While the Iranian government was dealing with protests at home, it was also facing threats from abroad.

US President Donald Trump on Monday flirted with the idea of ​​striking Iran again, suggesting there could be renewed nuclear activity there, telling reporters that if it did, “we’re going to destroy them.” Iran has denied allegations that it enriched uranium and said its nuclear program is peaceful.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Monday that it would confront any “riots, unrest” or security threats.

The Revolutionary Guard said: “Enemies are trying to sow discord in Iranian society through cognitive warfare, psychological operations, false narratives, fear-mongering, and encouraging submission.”

Despite the intimidation by the authorities, the protesters said they were not afraid. The unions expected the traders to join the strike soon.

“Yesterday, we blocked the roads and stopped the security forces from advancing. People sat on the roads and said they could kill us, but we did not let them pass. We will not open shops until the regime weakens further,” Alborz said.