Rising costs of basic goods, including wheat, oil, and dairy, spark unrest, with one fatality reported in the southwest.
Protests erupted in multiple cities across Iran on Saturday as citizens voiced their anger over soaring food prices, following a sharp increase in the cost of wheat and other staples. The demonstrations, sparked by cuts in state subsidies for imported wheat, have seen price hikes of up to 300% on flour-based products, as well as increases in the cost of essentials like cooking oil and dairy.
Cities like Rasht, Farsan, and Neyshabur were among the areas where protests broke out, with footage on social media showing crowds chanting against President Ebrahim Raisi’s government. “Raisi, have some shame, let go of the country!” protesters were heard saying.
Reports from local lawmaker Ahmad Avai confirmed that one person was killed during protests in Dezful, a city in Khuzestan province, and that security forces had dispersed around 300 demonstrators. The unrest comes amid internet outages, suggesting efforts by authorities to suppress the spread of information and control the protests.
