Overview
- Protests that began with merchant strikes in Tehran have spread to students and multiple cities, with riot police using tear gas to disperse crowds.
- The rial hit a record low near 1.4 million per U.S. dollar on the informal market and official data put year‑on‑year inflation around 52%, intensifying the cost‑of‑living crisis.
- President Masoud Pezeshkian urged officials to hear protesters’ “legitimate demands” and opened a dialogue channel, while schools, banks and public offices were shut Wednesday for cold and energy reasons.
- Abdolnasser Hemmati was named to lead the Central Bank after Mohammadreza Farzin’s resignation, with the new chief pledging to stabilize the exchange rate and tackle multiple-rate distortions.
- The government signaled upcoming relief steps including a food basket and basic‑foods bonus, as the attorney general warned of “firm” legal action against attempts to cause destabilization and local media reported student detentions in Tehran.