Police Storm Protest Gathering Outside Parliament with Tear Gas

On Monday morning, Tehran market vendors closed their shops in protest against recent price hikes, and a number of protesters gathered in Baharestan Square. Reports indicate that security forces attacked demonstrators with tear gas. According to videos received by Radio Farda from the gathering on July 4, protests took place around Baharestan Square, near the Islamic Consultative Assembly, around the Tehran market, Lalehzar Street, Sarcheshmeh Street, and other areas. Among the slogans chanted by the protesters were 'Enough, Iranian, show your courage', 'Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, my life is for Iran', 'Close it down, we are all together', and 'Leave Syria, think about us'. Based on videos sent to Radio Farda, police forces fired tear gas in Baharestan Square. Reports of protests have also emerged from several other cities, including Shahriar and Qeshm Island. The protests on Monday began with the closure of the Tehran market and a protest by the vendors but gradually spread to other commercial areas in Tehran, including Molavi, Jomhoori, and Lalehzar, and reports indicate that by Monday evening, most commercial areas in southern and central Tehran were closed. Mohsen Hamdani, the political and security deputy of the Tehran governor, stated on Monday afternoon that no one had been 'arrested' during these gatherings, and following a meeting of the provincial security council, necessary arrangements were made for meetings between the Ministry of Industry and the protesting groups. Ali Kashtgar, a political analyst residing in Paris, mentioned in an interview with Radio Farda that one of the reasons for the discontent is the Iranian government's failure to anticipate and plan for the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, as well as President Hassan Rouhani's lack of accountability and dialogue with the people. According to Abdollah Esfandiari, head of the central market trustees in Tehran, the vendors' protests are directed at 'currency inflation and its fluctuations' and 'instability in customs', making it impossible for traders to make decisions and sell their goods due to market fluctuations. Fars News Agency cited the reason for the Tehran vendors' gathering on Monday as 'protest against the recession prevailing in the market, irregular fluctuations in currency rates, lack of customers, and high prices of goods'. The protests on Monday occurred just a day after two shopping complexes, Aladdin and Charsoo, which mainly deal in mobile phones and digital goods, witnessed protests where demonstrators marched on Jomhoori Street against the chaos in the currency market. On Sunday, the prices of various currencies in the Tehran free market surged again, with the price of each U.S. dollar reaching a new record of nearly 9,000 tomans. Meanwhile, Iranian media reported on Monday morning about a new government plan to implement a three-tiered dollar pricing system. Reports indicate that the new currency rates in the market are currently unclear, and no buying or selling is taking place.