The unprecedented volatility in the currency market and the
rapid devaluation of the Iranian Rial in recent weeks compelled business owners
(known as bazaaris) to shutter their shops, go on strike, and gather in several
of Tehran’s central squares to voice their discontent. Reports from journalists
on the scene and footage shared by participants indicate the protests—spanning
several days—remained largely peaceful.
Demonstrators refrained from vandalizing public property,
kept pathways open for vehicles, and directed their slogans toward improved
economic management. Anti-riot forces monitored the gatherings and seldom
intervened. None of what has emerged from Iran would be unfamiliar in the
regular protests seen across European capitals or American cities.
Yet this manner of protest does not sit well with the West
or with Israel. Circulated videos show unidentified individuals urging bazaaris
to vandalize property and block streets. In one instance, a young woman
addressing a crowd fled after protesters refused to escalate into violence. In
another, a man attempted to set a municipal trash bin ablaze before bystanders
intervened and security forces arrested him. None of the bazaaris recognized
him afterward.
Simultaneously, an online influence campaign has emerged,
editing videos and fabricating audio to falsely suggest protesters are
demanding the return of the deposed Shah’s son. A widely circulated image
symbolizing the protests was later exposed as AI-generated.
Israel has openly admitted deploying agents to steer these
peaceful demonstrations toward chaos. Mossad’s Persian-language account urged
Iranians to “hit the streets,” while an Israeli television reporter openly
called for organizing protests to justify a wider war. Iran International
echoed similar narratives, promoting escalation as a pathway to foreign
military action.
Political figures joined in. Former Israeli Prime Minister
Naftali Bennett declared his readiness to help Iranians achieve “freedom,”
while US President Donald Trump warned Iran of further “turmoil,” without
acknowledging that Iran’s economic distress stems largely from the “maximum
pressure” sanctions he imposed in 2018.
Iranian authorities acknowledged the protests and announced
steps to stabilize the Rial. President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf both described the demonstrations as legitimate while
cautioning against foreign exploitation.
Ultimately, these events reveal a clear double standard -
peaceful assembly is praised in one context yet exploited when it occurs in a
country opposed by Western and Israeli interests. The true measure of these
protests lies not in sensationalized narratives from abroad, but in the
legitimate and orderly spirit shown by the Iranian people themselves.
