Iranian Rial historical lows trigger widespread protests

Shafaq News/ Iran is facing a wave of protests as economic hardship and currency devaluation intensify public frustration, exposing deepening unrest fueled by financial instability and political deadlock.

The Iranian Rial plunged to record lows, with the US dollar reaching 95,300 tomans and gold bullion surpassing 79 million tomans. The crisis escalated after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reaffirmed his rejection of negotiations with the United States, triggering market uncertainty, after years of economic pressure under US sanctions, especially following the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” policy, which severed Iran’s access to global financial markets and sent inflation soaring.

Public anger has spread across multiple cities, with demonstrators demanding wage increases, overdue payments, and job security. Workers in key sectors, including energy and healthcare, have walked off the job in protest over deteriorating living conditions, while university employees and job seekers have taken to the streets to denounce salary disparities and shrinking employment opportunities.