Irans President Urges Government to Address Protester Demands

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has announced plans to address concerns raised by protesters in Tehran over the country’s plummeting national currency. The demonstrations, which began on Sunday, have seen shopkeepers close their businesses and take to the streets, with chants of “Don’t be afraid, we are together.” In a social media post, Pezeshkian acknowledged the protesters’ demands, stating that he has tasked the Minister of the Interior to engage in dialogue with their representatives. The government aims to implement reforms to the monetary and banking system to preserve purchasing power.

The protests follow the Iranian rial’s record low against the US dollar, which has been declining rapidly over recent weeks due to sanctions and diplomatic pressure from the United States and its Western allies. The country is also facing high inflation rates, with a 50% rate consistently among the highest in the world. Additionally, taxes are set to increase by 62% under a controversial budget bill.

Iran’s energy crisis and severe water shortage have further exacerbated the situation. The government has been under pressure from the US, Israel, and their European allies over Iran’s nuclear programme. In June, a 12-day war between Israel and Iran resulted in significant losses, including civilian casualties and top-ranking military and intelligence commanders.

The protests are not the first to be held in Iran, with nationwide demonstrations taking place in 2022 and 2023 following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. The government has reported on the protests, emphasizing that they are primarily driven by concerns over the depreciating currency.

Source: Al Jazeera