Name: Protests erupt in Iran as currency plummets to record low | DW News
Uploaded: 2025-12-31T13:04:25.000Z
Duration: 4 min 43 s
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Protests have erupted in Iran after its currency plummeted to a new record low against the US Dollar.

Videos posted on social media show Iranians taking to the streets in several cities.

The demonstrations started Sunday and have since spread to other cities.

It's the most widespread unrest in Iran since 2022 when protests broke out over the death in police custody of Gina Barsa Amini Jisoo Nia is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and a human rights lawyer in Iran.

What else is behind these protests beside the currency slump?

Well, the freefall in the currency is the thing that triggered it.

But similar to successive protests that have happened since December 2017 in the country, oftentimes there's an economic trigger.

But really, when you listen to the chants and the scale of the protests, it's about a deep undercurrent of dissatisfaction with the regime in Iran and a desire for the regime to go.

So if you listen to the slogans that are coming out of the protests which are spreading across Tehran and to other cities in Iran, you hear things like, you know, zanzanigi Azadi, woman, life, freedom.

You hear students would rather d than accept humiliation, which is repeated from university students who are protesting.

You also hear a rejection of the Islamic Republic of Iran's foreign policy.

So neither Gaza nor Lebanon, my life for Iran.

So these are the kinds of chants that are coming out.

There are also some chants that are expressing some support for the monarchy.

This is a nod to Reza Pahlavi who is the son of the deposed monarch in Iran.

So overall, a lot of rejection of the current regime.

And it's really hitting this undercurrent of dissatisfaction with the current rule.

What sort of hardship are Iranians going through right now?

Well, the real Iran's currency is in free fall.

Iran's government is scrambling to figure out how to deal with that.

But the reality is that people are not able to afford groceries, they're not able to pay a lot of things.

Water is being regularly shut off, shut off in c. So there's just a squeeze on the population.

And inevitably when inflation is rising at these rates, you're going to have people decide that they would rather take to the streets and express their discontent and face the possibility of violence from security forces than continue on with the status quo.

One really significant thing is that these protests began yesterday.

This is the second day of ever widening protests and it began in the bazaars so there, you know, that's a sort of lifeblood of Iran.

Central markets and shopkeepers and others were gathering together to protest because they are protesting economic situation that is no longer viable.

But what's really key about this is when there are protests in the bazaar and when it spreads in that way, then it can be longer enduring.

But how is the state responding this time?

Well, we saw that the president of the Islamic Republic took to X, which is a platform that's banned in Iran, and

We see other members in the state sort of saying similar things.

But what we have seen that's actually very concerning is that the Islamic Republic has already started to deploy security forces.

We see videos circulating online that show security forces using tear gas.

We see them also shooting at peaceful protesters.

I'll note that in prior protests, live ammunition was used and has killed and maimed protesters.

Also projectiles like metal pellets or paintball guns that are not meant to be used at close range.

Different weapons that are sometimes meant for protest, crowd control, but

which are not used in this manner are used in these protests.

So it's very concerning that we already see security forces being deployed in multiple cities to deal with these protesters.

Jisunia, from the Atlantic Council, thank you very much for your time here on dw.

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Protests erupt in Iran as currency plummets to record low | DW News

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