"Both came to the UK separately: Maya, a graduate student from near the capital, Tehran, six years ago and Daniel, a support worker from Sine in northwestern Iran, three years back. Both have family still in Iran. Maya has yet to hear from her elderly parents on the outskirts of Karasht near Tehran. How Daniel's father, who is sick with cancer, is coping remains unknown."
"There is still no confirmed death toll for the latest round of unrest to have engulfed Iran since the national currency, the rial, crashed on December 28, leading traders of Tehran's bazaar to take to the streets to voice their anger in a protest that spread across the country and evolved into a serious challenge to the government. Speaking on Saturday, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei acknowledged that several thousand people had been killed in the unrest."
"The government has recognised the protesters' hardships, pledging to address mounting economic grievances, but also said the demonstrations that saw government buildings attacked were later hijacked by terrorists and elements trained and armed by outside powers. I have a lot of stress, Daniel said, his measured voice showing some degree of the tension that he and Maya have been living through."
Maya and Daniel sit in a spare room at Global Link in Lancaster; neither has heard from family in Iran since the internet shutdown on January 8. Both left Iran years ago and still have relatives there; Maya cannot reach elderly parents near Karasht and Daniel does not know how his cancer‑stricken father is coping. Protests began after the rial crashed on December 28 when Tehran bazaar traders took to the streets and the unrest spread nationwide. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei acknowledged several thousand deaths and blamed foreign interference. The government pledged to address economic grievances while calling later violence terrorism. Daniel reports friends arrested and severe stress; both fear the protests could mark a major political shift.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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