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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran | |
| The 'nuts and bolts' of Iran's economic troubles | |
| 2018-07-22 | |
As Iran decides the pathway forward after US President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal in May, economic pressures are beginning to weigh on the Islamic Republic. In the last few weeks, Iran's currency has been tanking rapidly against the dollar. Reports said it sank between 79,000 and 90,000 rials to the US dollar on the country's unofficial market, according to the foreign exchange website Bonbast. At the end of last year, it stood at 42,890 to the dollar. Furthermore, there has been a flare up of protests over economic concerns throughout the country. Vendors in Tehran's central market staged a series of protests last week. They were upset about the rial's collapse, which is causing havoc for businesses as the price of imports rises. In the last few days, protests erupted around the southern city of Khorramshahr over a shortage of clean water. The problem has been exacerbated in the summer when temperatures in the southern region can reach up to 43 degrees Celsius (110 Fahrenheit). The protests were initially peaceful but became violent when police and protesters clashed. Last month, protesters in Tehran shouted surprising slogans as they decried the country's economic malaise. Videos posted to social media showed them chanting: "Death to Palestine," "No to Gaza, no to Lebanon," and "Leave Syria and think of us." Others chanted "We don't want the ayatollahs." The unrest seems to have rattled the leadership. President Hassan Rouhani called on the nation to "remain calm" and united in the face of the economic pressure. The country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also addressed the Iranian public, urging the government "to confront those who disrupt economic security." ' | |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #1 It's amusing that the "You can't hug a child with nuclear arms" crowd screeches so loudly for iran to be free to develop weapons while their economy collapses. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2018-07-22 00:44 |