Inflation and the economic crisis have fueled public anger to such an extent that the demonstrations have now turned into a broader movement. Although the protests initially began with economic issues, they have now become a serious challenge to the Iranian government’s policies and internal system. The government initially tried to control the protesters, but as the protests intensified, clashes between security forces and the public turned bloody. There have been serious riots in various cities, resulting in 217 deaths. Most of them have been shot dead, and it is likely that this number will increase.
Although Iranian authorities are denying this, international human rights organizations say that a significant aspect of the ongoing violence in Iran is that protesters have targeted government property, damaging banks, mosques and hospitals, as well as fire trucks. This shows that the nature of the protests has now become not only economic but also political and social. There is deep concern about the crisis at the global level, and Iranian authorities have repeatedly accused foreign interference. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that the United States is playing with Iranian blood and that foreign powers are trying to destroy the Iranian social structure. Iran’s Foreign Ministry has called on the United Nations to stop interfering in Iran’s internal affairs, but despite this international pressure, the Iranian government has refused to show any flexibility in its position. The
question now is whether the Iranian government will be able to find a peaceful solution to these protests or will it lead to further bloodshed and political crisis? The impact of this ongoing instability in Iran’s domestic politics will not be limited to Iran alone, but could extend to the entire region. In this situation, it is the responsibility of the international community to respect the rights of the Iranian people and play a constructive role in resolving this crisis.