Expansion of Strikes and Protests Across Various Cities in Iran; Anti-Government Slogans and Tear Gas Fire

The currency shock has turned Tehran's market and central areas into a scene of widespread strikes and protests for the second consecutive day, with public protests spreading to various cities in Iran. Reports indicate the paralysis of the city's economic arteries, the chanting of anti-government slogans, and the firing of tear gas at protesters. An unprecedented crisis in the currency and gold market has driven the dollar price to 144,000 tomans and the gold coin price to nearly 169 million tomans, sparking a wave of anger and protests among merchants and the public. On Tuesday, the widespread strikes that began the previous day in Tehran continued with greater intensity, and protesters took to the streets in several cities across Iran. Field reports and published videos show that the markets of 'Beyn al-Haramayn', 'Ahangaran', 'Sarafan', 'Chaharsuq', and 'Jafar' have completely joined the strike, closing their shops. This wave of closures has also spread to key streets in the capital, including 'Nasir Khosrow', 'Saadi Jonubi', 'Lalehzar', 'Chaharsuq Istanbul', 'Bagh-e Sepahsalar', and 'Ferdowsi Square'. Additionally, shopkeepers in the areas of 'Amin Hozoor', 'Mollavi', 'Shush', and 'Chaharsuq Sirous' protested the chaotic state of the currency market and the government's inability to control prices by closing their businesses. Similar gatherings with livelihood and political slogans were held on Amir Kabir Street. During the march of protesting merchants towards Ferdowsi Square and surrounding streets, slogans were chanted that directly targeted the government and the current situation. The 'Chaharsuq Istanbul' area and around the 'Alaeddin' mobile shopping center on Republic Street witnessed tensions for the second day. Videos sent show clashes between government agents and protesters who were calling for other citizens to join the ranks of the protests. Following the attack by agents with batons and the firing of tear gas in front of the Alaeddin shopping center and the Bagh-e Sepahsalar area, protesters chanted 'Dishonorable, Dishonorable'. Alongside the street unrest, the capital market also reacted sharply to the current situation. The Tehran Stock Exchange index fell by 37,000 units to 4,123,000. Reports indicate that over 887 billion tomans of real money exited the market, with the banking sector accounting for the largest share of capital outflow. In response to this critical situation, the Public Relations Manager of the Central Bank announced the formation of an 'urgent meeting of the government's economic team' at the instruction of Masoud Pezeshkian. This meeting, aimed at reviewing currency and livelihood policies, comes at a time when rampant inflation and astronomical prices in the gold and currency markets, including the euro at 169,000 tomans and the pound at 194,000 tomans, have diminished public confidence in the government's ability to solve economic problems to the lowest possible level.