Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Dec 31: Protests against Iran’s spiralling cost of living spread to several universities on Tuesday, with students joining shopkeepers and bazaar traders in demonstrations across the country, even as the government signalled its willingness to hold dialogue with protest leaders.
The unrest comes amid a deepening economic crisis, with Iran’s rial losing nearly half its value against the US dollar in 2025. Inflation surged to 42.5 per cent in December, intensifying public anger in a country that has witnessed repeated bouts of unrest in recent years while grappling with US sanctions and renewed threats of Israeli strikes.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a social media post late on Monday that he had directed the interior minister to listen to the “legitimate demands” of protesters. Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani confirmed on Tuesday that authorities officially recognised the protests and would set up a dialogue mechanism, including talks with protest leaders.
“We hear their voices and we know that this originates from natural pressure arising from the pressure on people’s livelihoods,” Mohajerani said, as quoted by state media.
Videos verified by Reuters showed scores of protesters marching through streets in Tehran, chanting “Rest in peace Reza Shah,” a reference to the founder of the royal dynasty overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution. State television footage also showed gatherings in central Tehran with protesters raising slogans.
The semi-official Fars News Agency reported that hundreds of students staged protests at four universities in Tehran on Tuesday. On social media, several Iranians voiced support for the demonstrations, warning that rising prices, corruption and economic mismanagement had pushed people to the “point of explosion” and could trigger protests nationwide.
Iranian authorities have previously cracked down on unrest sparked by economic hardship, drought, women’s rights and political freedoms, often through force and mass arrests. The government has not yet clarified how the proposed dialogue with protest leaders will be conducted.
The current demonstrations are the first major protests since Israeli and US airstrikes on Iran in June, which had initially triggered strong displays of patriotic unity. On Tuesday, Pezeshkian told trade unions and market representatives that his government would do its best to resolve their concerns and address economic pressures, according to state media.
Iran’s economy has been under strain since US sanctions were reimposed in 2018 after President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal during his first term. United Nations sanctions were reimposed again in September, and Reuters reported in October that senior officials held emergency meetings to avert economic collapse and contain public anger.
Widening economic disparities, alleged corruption within the ruling elite and persistent inflation have fuelled discontent. On Tuesday, the rial fell to a record low of around 1.4 million to the US dollar on the open market, compared to 817,500 at the start of the year. Official data show inflation has not dipped below 36.4 per cent since the Iranian new year began in late March.
On Monday, Iran’s central bank chief resigned, with media reports linking the move to pressure on the currency market following the government’s economic liberalisation policies.
Iran continues to face intense international pressure, with Trump warning on Monday that he may support fresh Israeli strikes if Tehran resumes work on ballistic missiles or nuclear weapons. Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is strictly peaceful and denies seeking an atomic bomb.