In parts of Iran, people are taking to the streets to protest the rapid rise in food prices. This was reported by the IRNA news agency on Friday.
In a protest in the southwest of the country, police had to intervene after participants set fire to a mosque, tried to rob a supermarket and threw stones at members of the security services. The situation should now be under control.
Anger is mounting due to the rapid rise in prices of basic commodities such as eggs, rice, noodles, meat and bread. Unverified video footage, believed to be from Khuzestan, shows protesters demonstrating against the prizes and even demanding the resignation of President Ebrahim Raisi.
Raisi is head of Jut. The demonstrators point out that he has been in power for ten months, but that he has not yet fulfilled his promise to quickly end the economic crisis in the country.
US sanctions
Many link the financial crisis to the conflict with the United States over Iran’s nuclear program. Iran signed an agreement on its nuclear program in 2015 with the US, China, Russia, France, the UK and Germany. The deal was to prevent Tehran from making a nuclear bomb. In return, the stifling sanctions were lifted.
But in 2018, the agreement was called into question after then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally decided to withdraw the US from the accord. He also reintroduced sanctions against Iran. Negotiations resumed after Trump was succeeded by Joe Biden.
The rial has lost nearly 50 percent of its value during the dispute.
The High Representative of European Foreign Policy Josep Borrell said on Friday that there could be a breakthrough in the negotiations soon. This may also mean that the end of the sanctions is in sight.
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