U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on his page on the social network X that he supports citizens who took to the streets in Iran. He wrote that the United States “stands with the brave people of Iran.” This was reported by kursiv.uz. reports .
Mass protests across Iran began last month after a sharp depreciation of the rial at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar. Later, amid an economic crisis, high inflation, sanctions, and restrictions on freedoms, the wave of discontent spread nationwide. These protests are being described as the largest demonstrations in the past three years.
As protests continued, Iran’s army said it was ready to protect strategic infrastructure and state property. It is also noted that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is taking part in efforts to quell the unrest.
Reuters, citing Iranian media close to the government, reports that Tehran is blaming Israel and “terrorists” for the events. According to Iranian human rights defenders, as of January 9, 65 people had been killed: 50 protesters and 15 law enforcement officers. There are also reports that nearly 2,500 people have been detained.
Some protesters also chanted slogans supporting the overthrown Pahlavi dynasty. However, the main demands were linked to removing the clergy from power and taking concrete steps to revive an economy harmed by sanctions and the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in June.
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