Speaking to the Mizan news agency, the Head of the Iranian judiciary, Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, claimed that “the Islamic Republic of Iran distinguishes between peaceful demonstrators with economic demands and rioters,” arguing that they recognize the legitimacy of the right to protest.
Mohseni-Eje’i threatened that there would be no tolerance, instructing prosecutors to act within the legal framework but with determination.
Protests against the high cost of living that began in Tehran on December 28 quickly spread across the country and turned into a movement that also included political demands.
According to official statements and data from local media sources, the protests affected at least 45 cities. In other words, demonstrations took place in at least 25 of Iran’s 31 provinces.
According to human rights organizations, at least 19 protesters were killed and nearly a thousand people were detained.
The deep crisis in Iran’s economy and freedom-restricting policies form the backdrop to the protests. The national currency, the rial, has lost more than a third of its value against the dollar in the past year. In the black market, the dollar exchange rate has risen to approximately 1.4 million rials, compared to around 770,000 rials during the same period last year. High inflation and the prolonged decline in purchasing power are further fueling social discontent.