Name: Protests grow in Iran over rising living costs, inflation
Uploaded: 2025-12-31T15:07:01.945Z
Duration: 2 min 37 s
Description: Protests are spreading across Iran, as living costs rise and inflation spirals out of control. Videos published online show protesters taking to the streets, with the image of one protester defying police going viral.

Protests are spreading across Iran, as living costs rise and inflation spirals out of control. Videos published online show protesters taking to the streets, with the image of one protester defying police going viral.

Tehran

Protests in Iran have intensified, with demonstrators taking to the streets in response to rising inflation and the sharp devaluation of the national currency against the US dollar. The latest wave of unrest, which began with shopkeepers, has become the largest since the 2022 demonstrations following the death of Massa Amini in police custody.

Iran's government has stated it is listening to citizens' concerns and is seeking to restore calm, while analysts note a more restrained official response compared to previous years. The ongoing economic crisis continues to fuel public anger, and experts suggest that patience on both sides may be running thin.

Protests grow in Iran over rising living costs, inflation

Sitting alone, a protester faces down a police motorcade in Tehran. Surrounded by tear gas, the protester refuses to move. A moment captured on video that has now been seen around the world. Many observers are comparing this protest to one almost four decades ago, when a man now famously faced a column of tanks in Beijing during the deadly Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989. But some experts say this is just one of many acts of defiance happening in Iran. I do believe that Iran, since 2019, had so many Tiananmen moments. But unfortunately, especially in the Western world, we turned a blind eye at it. We have seen these images far too many times, to the point that really people have lost hope in being able to send this message across, that they do reject the Islamic Republic rule in the country. Protests started on Sunday, with shopkeepers taking to the streets, angry about rising inflation and the devaluation of Iran's currency against the US dollar. The demonstrations have now grown to become the largest since the wave of protests that rocked the country following the death of Massa Amini in police custody in 2022. And now Iran's government says it is listening to the people and wants to restore calm. The government will listen patiently, even if there are harsh voices, because we believe that our people are patient enough and when their voices are raised, the pressure that is being put on them is high. The government's job is to hear the voices and help them reach a common understanding to solve the problems that exist in society. Protests have shown a more restrained response to protests in recent months, a shift that analysts have linked to the conflict with Israel over the last year, and efforts to maintain domestic support. But with an economic crisis engulfing Iran, driving the unrest, their patience may soon wear thin.

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