Protests against the sharp rise in the U.S. dollar exchange rate and the deteriorating cost of living, which began on Sunday, December 28, 2025 (7 Dey 1404), with demonstrations by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants, have expanded in the following days with the participation of broader segments of society. Reports and images from Iran indicate that protesters have chanted slogans against the ruling authorities during these gatherings.

According to available reports, on Monday, December 29, demonstrations were held not only in Tehran but also in several other cities, including Karaj, Hamedan, Qeshm, and Malard. On the same night, students at Tehran University’s dormitory complex (Kuy-e Daneshgah) staged protests. Shortly after the demonstrations began, reports emerged that the dormitory gates had been closed and that police and security forces had surrounded the area.

Meanwhile, Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s president, said in a message posted on the social media platform X that he had instructed the interior minister to engage in talks with the “representatives of the protesters.” These remarks were made as numerous reports simultaneously surfaced of violent police crackdowns on demonstrators. Images showing the use of tear gas and clashes between police and protesters circulated widely on social media.

One widely shared video shows a man sitting on the ground in front of a group of motorcycle-mounted riot police. According to the footage, after several minutes the officers approach him and, following a brief exchange, proceed to beat him—an incident that has sparked widespread public outrage.

In response to these developments, Federal Congress of the Nationalities of Iran issued a statement expressing support for the continuation of popular protests against rising prices and current economic policies. The organization described the severe price fluctuations and the hourly increase in the exchange rate as clear indicators of ineffective governance, rent-seeking policies, and structural corruption within the Islamic Republic, and characterized public protests and strikes as a legitimate and necessary response to the prevailing situation.

The Federal Congress of the Nationalities of Iran also pointed to consequences such as runaway fuel and food prices, rising unemployment, and the erosion of social security. Emphasizing the shared fate of cities across Iran, the statement called for nationwide solidarity and the expansion of strikes and protest gatherings. It described the current situation as a “historic moment of decision” and urged citizens to join this nationwide movement through solidarity and civil resistance in pursuit of a free and equal Iran.