Iranian President Admits Protests Have 'Legitimate Demands' Amid Soaring Inflation
Protests over Iran's skyrocketing cost of living have spread to multiple universities in Tehran, with students joining shopkeepers and bazaar merchants in demanding government action, according to semi-official media.
The Iranian rial has lost nearly half its value against the dollar since 2023, with inflation reaching a staggering 42.5% in December. This crisis comes on the heels of repeated unrest in recent years, and Iran faces the added challenges of US sanctions and the threat of Israeli strikes.
In a social media post on Monday, President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged the protesters' 'legitimate demands,' instructing the interior minister to listen to them. Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani announced the establishment of a dialogue mechanism, including talks with protest leaders.
"We officially recognize the protests... We hear their voices and understand the natural pressure on people's livelihoods," she said on Tuesday, as reported by state media.
Protesters March Through Tehran's Streets
Videos from Iran show large groups marching through streets, chanting "Rest in peace Reza Shah," a reference to the founder of the royal dynasty overthrown in the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Footage aired on Iranian state television on Monday depicted people gathered in central Tehran, chanting various slogans.
The semi-official Fars News Agency reported that hundreds of students protested on Tuesday at four universities in Tehran.
Some Iranians expressed support for the protests on social media. Soroosh Dadkhah stated that high prices and corruption had pushed people to the brink, while Masoud Ghasemi warned of protests spreading across the country.
These protests mark the first significant event of their kind in Iran since Israeli and US strikes in June, which sparked widespread patriotic solidarity.
Iranian authorities have historically quashed unrest over economic issues, women's rights, and political freedoms, often resulting in violence and arrests.
The government has yet to disclose the nature of any potential dialogue with protest leaders.
President Pezeshkian assured trade unions and market activists on Tuesday that the government would address their concerns, according to state media.
Sanctions and Economic Crisis
Iran's economy has been in a dire state for years, particularly since the US reimposed sanctions in 2018 under President Donald Trump, who withdrew from an international nuclear deal during his first term.
United Nations sanctions were reimposed in September, prompting high-level meetings among Iranian leaders to prevent economic collapse, bypass sanctions, and manage public anger.
Economic disparities between ordinary Iranians and the clerical and security elite, coupled with economic mismanagement and state corruption, have fueled discontent as inflation drives prices beyond the reach of most people.
The currency plummeted to a record low of 1.4 million rials to the US dollar on Tuesday, according to private exchange platforms, starting the year at 817,500 rials to the dollar.
Monthly inflation figures have consistently exceeded 36.4% since the Iranian new year began in late March, according to official data.
The resignation of Iran's central bank chief on Monday was attributed to the government's economic liberalization policies, which put pressure on the open-rate rial market, where Iranians buy foreign currency.
Most businesses rely on official currency exchanges, where the rial price is supported.
