ALBAWABA- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called on his government to listen to protesters’ “legitimate demands” and pledged to protect livelihoods following two days of demonstrations in Tehran over the plummeting national currency and worsening economic conditions.
The protests, which began Sunday, saw shopkeepers near Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and the Jomhouri tech and mobile phone districts shutter their businesses and take to the streets, chanting against government mismanagement.
Demonstrations continued on Tuesday as the Iranian rial hit a historic low of 1,445,000 per U.S. dollar, amid soaring inflation and widespread frustration over economic hardship. Security forces deployed tear gas in some areas, but no major casualties were reported.
The unrest comes amid rising tensions with the United States and its Western allies, ongoing sanctions, and the looming threat of military confrontation with Israel.
On December 29, Central Bank Governor Mohammad Reza Farzin resigned following the currency collapse, further fueling public anger. Lawmakers also rejected Pezeshkian’s draft budget, citing inflation risks and revenue shortfalls.
In response, President Pezeshkian urged the government to address citizens’ economic grievances, vowing measures to stabilize the currency and safeguard purchasing power.
Pezeshkian's statements reflect efforts by Iran’s reformist leadership, elected in 2024, to balance domestic unrest with external pressures and the nation’s fragile economic state.
