Human rights organizations have confirmed that at least 16 individuals died as a result of a nationwide protest campaign that occurred in Iran in response to the country’s spiraling inflation rates and plummeting rial currency. These protests are now occurring all over the country and have exposed the magnitude of Iran’s economic challenges and the anger of Iranian citizens. Protests first broke out on December 29 in the Grand Bazaar area of Tehran, where local merchants and bazaar owners protested the alarming rate at which the rial has fallen, losing almost half of its value, and the inflation rate, which is higher than 36%.
Iran protests: from economic grievances to a multifaceted movement
The protests, initially centered around the economic grievances, rapidly expanded into an extensive and multifaceted movement throughout various parts of the country, ranging from major cities to remote provinces.
In the span of 6 days (December 28 – January 4), protests took place in at least 174 different areas in 25 provinces throughout the country, including major metropolitan cities such as Tehran and small towns and cities, including Yasouj, Sabzevar, Izeh, Zahedan, and Isfahan.
At least 16 protesters were killed and approximately 582 others arrested during the week of unrest
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) and the Kurdish Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, at least 16 people lost their lives, and at least 582 individuals were arrested as a result of the unrest; a large number of those arrested were minors. In Yasouj alone, 81 protesters were arrested, including 70 between the ages of 15 and 17.
Violent clashes between protesters and security services were most prevalent in the west
Violent clashes were also recorded in Tehran and in Baluchistan Province. At least 44 protesters suffered injuries resulting from live ammunition, pellet guns, tear gas, beatings, and arrests.
Iranian authorities have pursued two approaches to deal with the unrest
While Iranian authorities have used force to suppress the protests, they have also called for restraint.
Security forces have arrested many protesters, whom they claim are organizers or leaders of the protests, including online activists, and arrested them. For example, at least 40 people were arrested in Tehran alone for allegedly posting “false posts” regarding the demonstrations.
The protests demonstrate that Iranians are increasingly disenchanted with the direction of their country’s economy. Iran’s economic problems include the rial’s collapse, double-digit inflation, and shortages of necessities such as water and electricity, which have increased due to renewed international sanctions.
Analysts believe that Iran is facing a governance crisis
The government does not have viable solutions to the country’s economic crisis and appears to be internally fractured within the ruling establishment. Without providing the public with solutions to the country’s economic crisis, the risk of future unrest remains high.
Despite the deaths, mass arrests, and harsh repression by the government, protesters continue to show defiance and courage. Many consider this the biggest threat to the Islamic Republic since the Woman, Life, Freedom protests of 2022-23, although the current protests seem to have a more economic basis and less ideological impetus.
Iran is experiencing one of its largest waves of protest in recent history, fueled by a severe economic crisis wherein at least 16 people have been killed, and nearly 600 have been arrested in demonstrations that are taking place all over the country, which began as a call for economic reform but have developed into a political movement. The government has responded to the protests with a combination of conciliatory appeals and aggressive security measures. The protests have generated concern internationally, particularly from the U.S., due to the potential strategic implications. However, despite these concerns, the protests appear to be continuing unabated and are likely to continue until the Iranian government addresses the economic crisis.
