Iranian security forces have fired teargas and expelled demonstrators during a sit-in at Tehran's grand bazaar, as nationwide protests enter their 10th day. The site holds historical significance as a hub of activism during the 1979 revolution.
Rights groups report at least 35 people killed and more than 1,200 arrested. Protests have spread to 257 locations across 88 cities, according to Human Rights Activists news agency. In Illam province, video footage showed security forces entering a hospital in search of protesters.
The unrest began over the economy and rising prices. The rial has fallen to a historic low of 1.46 million to the US dollar, losing about two-thirds of its value in three years. The central bank says it will curb preferential exchange rates for businesses, a move likely to increase prices and shortages. State media reported that cooking oil prices have doubled, with traders hoarding goods.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said the government lacked the power to fix the economy, warning that printing money would place heavy pressure on lower-income groups. He blamed sanctions and the oil embargo, and announced an investigation into the hospital incident. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said protesters' demands were legitimate but that rioters should be 'put in their place'.
The US State Department called the hospital incident a 'clear crime against humanity'. Donald Trump threatened to intervene if the government kills protesters, drawing angry responses from Iranian officials. The threat carried extra weight after Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro was captured and brought to New York by US forces on Saturday.
