Iran’s Protests Widen as Pezeshkian Urges Dialogue and Government Replaces Central Bank Chief

Overview

• Shopkeepers in Tehran resumed closures and many suspended transactions to avoid losses as the rial whipsawed.
• University students joined demonstrations in Tehran and Isfahan over soaring living costs, ILNA reported.
• Security forces deployed anti-riot units and used tear gas to disperse crowds, footage from state-linked Fars showed.
• The government moved to replace the Central Bank chief with former governor Abdolnasser Hemmati, with his return slated for Wednesday after Mohammad Reza Farzin’s resignation.
• Authorities announced Wednesday closures of schools, banks and public offices in parts of the country, citing cold weather and energy savings, as official data show annual inflation near 52 percent.