Iran's commercial hubs became flashpoints for frustration

"They grew weary of watching the Iranian national currency, the rial, continue to plummet. It had already lost nearly half of its value over the past year, which means the merchants were losing daily, and their financial loss was only increasing by the day. The protests in the capital soon spread sporadically across Iran and were predominantly driven by mounting economic pressures and soaring consumer prices."

"From there, scattered demonstrations spread to cities in western Iran such as Azna, Malekshahi, and Kermanshah. Marvdasht in southern Iran and Fouladshahr in the centre, among others, followed. Some escalated into violent confrontations with security forces, resulting in deaths, injuries, and many arrests. There have been many previous waves of unrest in Iran. The student and reformist protests of 1999-2003 demanded democratic reform and challenged the country's ruling hardline Muslim scholars."

Protests began when merchants at Tehran's Grand Bazaar along Jomhouri Avenue closed shops in response to the rial's steep depreciation, which eroded incomes as the currency lost nearly half its value over a year. Demonstrations spread sporadically across the capital and then to cities including Azna, Malekshahi, Kermanshah, Marvdasht and Fouladshahr. Commercial hubs became flashpoints for frustration over high inflation, stagnant wages and rising living costs. Some protests escalated into violent confrontations with security forces, causing deaths, injuries and many arrests. Previous waves of unrest included student and reformist protests (1999–2003), the 2009 Green Movement, and 2022–2023 Woman, Life, Freedom protests.

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