Monday, June 25 Tehran Grand Bazaar shopkeepers closed their stores and began a strike. This was how they expressed their anger over rising dollar prices. The demonstration was to object to the currency crisis, economic downturn, and expenses. But it immediately struck political demands and protesters began chanting, ‘”Leave Syria alone and consider us first,” “Strike, Strike” “Down with dictator,” “Down with supreme leading,” and “Down with Khamenei”’.
The protest in Tehran passed on to Shiraz, Qeshm, Kermanshah, and Mashhad as the trend nosedived to a dollar for 90,000 rials in the black market on Sunday. A number of mobile cell complexes and digital device stores in Tehran found themselves in foreign exchange turmoil.
All this took place despite the arrival of law enforcement officers and tear gas at the entrance to Iran's parliament building, in order to prevent the protests from continuing and to disperse their gatherings.
'A big explosion is about to erupt'
The state media and officials showed fear towards the society and their demands. Different factors warned of “a big explosion is about to erupt” and “the problems taking a new height”, they told each other to watch out or else the boat they are sailing will be sunk.
Bahar State-run Website wrote that a clear breakdown in society is visible. People go one way and the rulers chose to go the other. This is not good and it will not be long before a big blast occurs.
Professor Steve Hanke, Applied Economists at the Johns Hopkins University measured Iran's inflation rate 55.78% since January, applying to exchange rates.
This explosive situation indicates that people do not want this sovereignty and they reject it in all aspects. It does also prove that the current administration won’t have the same capability of power from this point on as the leverage of repression used to dictate power has faded. Iran can’t eliminate the crises because it is itself the core problem.
There is no end to the unrest that sparked in December 2017 and is being continued through a different stratum of the people, which the Iranian state now fear will lead to their downfall.
Newt Gingrich tweets as Paris convention approaches
Protests in Iran have been supported by top US policymakers including Secretary of State Pompeo. The Washington Times commented that this increased unrest comes just days before the annual Free Iran Gathering held near Paris by dissidents working toward a democratic Iran.
Newt Gingrich tweeted support.
The Paris gathering wants to bring international attention to the recent unrest inside Iran and to accomplish an alternative. One thing an alternative must have is to be recognised on a global scale and establish this recognition through years of struggle.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) with its parliament-in-exile led by President-elect Maryam Rajavi has aimed for such a scale and stands strong after years of struggle.
The Iranian Diaspora is planning to hold its annual convention on June 30 in Paris to express their support for democratic change in Iran.