Iranian Authorities Issue Statement on Protests

Iranian authorities will not show tolerance towards rebels, stated Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, head of the Iranian judicial system, amid ongoing protests in the country.

“There will be no concessions or tolerance towards rebellious elements. The enemy does not even hide its clear support for the rebels. Therefore, we will not accept any justifications or apologies from the rebels, their defenders, or their leaders,” Ejei said, according to IRIB.

Protests in Iran began in late December 2025 due to the devaluation of the local currency, the Iranian rial. The main themes of the protests were the sharp fluctuations in exchange rates and their impact on wholesale and retail prices. Videos of protests have emerged on social media from Tehran and other cities.

In this context, Mohammad Farzin, head of Iran's Central Bank, resigned, and Abdolnasser Hemmati was appointed as his successor.

In several Iranian cities, protests have escalated into clashes with police and have been accompanied by chants against the current political system. Reports of casualties have been confirmed among both security forces and protesters.

Iran is experiencing high inflation, with the Central Bank reporting an annual inflation rate of 38.9%. The Iranian rial is rapidly weakening, having reached record lows against the dollar in recent months. A few years ago, before the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear agreement in May 2018, the unofficial value of the dollar was around 50,000 rials. Now, the dollar is worth more than 1.4 million rials in the open market.