In light of economic decisions made by the Islamic Republic, Iran’s citizens have protested, fighting for reform.
In late December 2025, Iranians took to the streets to protest economic decisions made by the government causing a massive inflation in basic goods. The protests began in Iran’s capital city, in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, but quickly spread to over 180 cities nationwide.
While the protests initially began with opposing the increase in prices, they turned into general protests against the governmental regime.
Shopowners in the Grand Bazaar, known as Bazaaris, were notorious for being supportive of the Islamic Republic. Their protests against the regime now serve as a major shift in the movement to reform the country.
Economic Instability
Iran’s economy has been severely unstable for decades, but recent developments have heightened the crusade against the regime and its corruption.
Since 2011, inflation has increased over 20%, raising prices of goods over 100%. Along with this, the cost of living has consistently risen, surpassing salaries and shrinking the middle class.
The lack of transparency and manipulation has led to distrust in the current power, with there seemingly being no improvement, despite years of protest.
“Many Iranians perceive widespread corruption and hypocrisy among government authorities, who urge citizens to endure poverty under the banner of ‘economic resistance’ while simultaneously enjoying luxurious lifestyles,” said Dr. Mina Oftadeh, an Iranian physician whose parents immigrated to the States during the 1979 revolution. “Senior officials are widely known to own expensive properties abroad and send their families to live, work or study in countries such as Canada, the United States and Europe, thereby shielding them from the disastrous circumstances they’ve created at home.”
The U.S. has imposed a multitude of sanctions including freezing Iranian assets, restricting international trade, limiting Iran’s imports and more.
As of January 23, President Trump imposed another sanction, this time on oil shipping. The sanctions, according to the president, are meant to stop the Iranian government from killing protestors.
“[The economic crisis] hurts everyone who is not benefiting from the corrupt economy created by the ruling elite and U.S. sanctions,” said Kaveh Ehsani, an international relations professor at DePaul. “Inflation in a market economy shapes how people see the future. If you are on a fixed income and the value of your paycheck becomes half of what it was yesterday, and this goes on, you end up feeling there is no future, no security, no hope to make a living, to improve your life and that of your family in the most basic way. Unemployment and inflation are among the key reasons behind political crises.”
There have been five major currency shocks in the past 15 years which have contributed to the current economic state. With each shock, the U.S. dollar equivalency of a toman, a superunit of the currency in Iran, has been raised, now surpassing 60% from its original value.Iran’s currency is now worth much less in comparison to the U.S. dollar, as opposed to a decade ago.
Iran’s Central Bank ended a program that countered U.S. sanctions and allowed dollar purchases for a lower rate. This decision worsened the economic crisis and fueled the anger of Bazaaris.
To lessen the outrage, the government decided to offer $7 cash handouts on a monthly basis, but the proposal failed.
Distrust in the Regime
In 1979, the Islamic Fundamentalist Movement, led by Ayatollah Khomeini, overthrew the Shah, causing him to flee the country. The exiled Shah was forced out of rule due to his growing suppression of the religious leaders and overall mission to secularize Iran.
His successor, Ayatollah Khamenei, an extremely controversial figure nationwide, holds most of the power in state affairs.
After the Shah’s removal, the Islamic Republic took power, and quickly imposed restrictions on Iranians including dictating how people dress, particularly women, as well as silencing human-rights activists and journalists. Women who did not follow the mandatory hijab law were and still are fined, and those who protested were sentenced to prison or the death penalty.
The “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests were most fervent in 2022, after the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died in custody after being arrested and reportedly beaten for not wearing a hijab.
“Women have been a big component to the uprisings,” said Dr. Ehsan Chitsaz, an Iranian physician, who immigrated to Canada about 2 decades ago. “75% of my medical school was female, the same is true in the field of engineering and technology. Iranian women are extremely progressive, educated and have been, in a lot of ways, leaders in finding ways for the betterment of their country.”
Continuous repression by the Iranian government including restricting social media, rigging elections and general human-rights violations, have led to decades of protests and wide mistrust with the regime at hand.
Current protests
According to Time Magazine, as of January 25, 30,000 people may have died protesting, though the number has not been confirmed. The bulk of the deaths reportedly occurred on January 8 and 9.
“The level of violence is unprecedented, and so is the international situation,” Ehsani said. “Israel and the US launched a war against Iran last summer. Iran buffer allies in the region have been diminished, and it has become more isolated. International sanctions have been ratcheted up. The ruling elite has failed to use the relative goodwill it acquired in the summer where ordinary people rallied together against the US-Israeli attacks to make concessions to its own citizens. The large-scale slaughter of protesters has created an unprecedented level of anger.”
On January 8, Iranian authorities completely turned off internet access as well as telephone lines, isolating citizens from the rest of the world. Due to this, further information regarding the protests and death toll is currently unknown.
President Donald Trump stated last week that the US has sent an “armada” towards the Persian Gulf. The president also said that he is watching Iran very closely and has imposed a 25% tariff for any country that does business with Iran, effective immediately.
“Iran’s economy can be stabilized, but only with significant political and structural change,” Oftadeh said. “Sustainable recovery would require the replacement of the current regime with a government that prioritizes the welfare of its citizens and is committed to transparency, accountability and competent governance.”
Header Image by Noemi Romero
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