According to Khabaronline, an Iranian news agency, These gatherings, which formed as the dollar exchange rate crossed the 140,000 toman threshold, were primarily focused on trade union demands and protests against difficulties arising from currency fluctuations.
According to field observations, the protests began around 11:30 AM on Monday. Subsequently, a number of shopkeepers in the areas of Hafez Bridge, Alaeddin Passage, Charsou Complex, and Lalehzar Street suspended their business activities by pulling down their shutters.
In front of the Alaeddin 2 building, a group of tradesmen stopped work to demand market stability; meanwhile, some internal units, particularly in the repair sector, continued their normal operations. These gatherings occasionally led to heavy traffic at the Hafez intersection and its connecting routes.
Merchants present at these gatherings cited severe currency fluctuations as the main reason for their protest, stating that the volatility has effectively rendered the processes of pricing, buying, selling, and supplying goods impossible for the mobile phone and electronics sector.
These market activists, who had previously faced a heavy recession and challenges in the import registration process, believe that the current instability has deprived them of the ability to engage in ec onomic planning.
In the midst of this, some eyewitnesses reported the presence of small cells within the crowd of approximately 200 people who chanted slogans transcending trade union demands. In this regard, a merchant in the Lalehzar market, while pointing to economic pressures, emphasized the necessity of separating legitimate trade demands from political slogans.
Regarding political and security dimensions, concurrent with these movements, calls were published by Maryam Rajavi, leader of the Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) group, to expand the protests.
In this connection, an informed official at the Ministry of Intelligence stated in an interview that the presence of certain organized cells in trade gatherings is part of a “security-stripping” (de-securitization) scenario aimed at converting economic criticism into political unrest.
Furthermore, economic analysts warn that creating an insecure atmosphere in the market could, by halting investment and intensifying capital flight, itself become a factor for further increases in the exchange rate.
In reaction to this situation, the Iranian government spokesperson, while emphasizing the need to maintain calm in the business environment, announced the drafting of new support packages and programs to regulate the foreign exchange market.
Simultaneously, informed sources reported that meetings of the Economic Coordination Council are being held to make effective decisions to control the fluctuations.
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