Protesters in Marvdasht chant ‘Pahlavi will return’ on fifth day of protests

Iran’s economy has been “mostly ruined by the ayatollah and his henchmen,” former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said, arguing that a mix of internal mismanagement and US pressure has pushed the country toward sustained unrest.

Speaking to Fox News, Pompeo said on Wednesday that protests feel “large and a little bit different” this time because of severe economic strain, including water shortages and wasted resources. Past uprisings, he said, were crushed through killings and executions, but added that Iranians may now see “a real hope and a real opportunity” for fundamental change after decades of what he called corrupt, theocratic rule.

A video shows vendors at Tehran’s central fruit and vegetable wholesale market joining nationwide protests on Thursday, chanting “strike” during a march in the complex.

The demonstration marked the fifth day of coordinated protests by merchants. Footage shows participants also chanting “Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, my life for Iran,” a slogan reflecting anger at the government’s regional priorities amid mounting economic pressure at home.

Fresh protests in Iran have reignited hopes of systemic change, but history suggests caution, the Jerusalem Post wrote, warning that previous uprisings have often ended in violent crackdowns and political stalemate .

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets since Saturday, initially over the collapse of the rial, but protests quickly escalated into open political defiance, with chants of “Death to the dictator.” The paper notes parallels with earlier protest waves in 1999, 2009, 2017 and the 2022–23 “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement.

The analysis argues that while Israel and Western governments want to see change in Iran, overt support risks handing Tehran a propaganda weapon to brand protesters as foreign-backed.

Instead, the paper says the most effective support would be indirect: expanding internet access, encrypted communications, satellite connectivity and targeting the Islamic Republic’s surveillance capabilities.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said the government is moving to stop allocating preferential exchange rates, arguing that multiple dollar rates fuel corruption and rent-seeking,

“We are now deciding not to give 280,000- or 700,000-rial dollars to anyone,” Pezeshkian said, referring to subsidised exchange rates. “Anyone who receives 280,000- or 700,000-rial dollars is receiving rent, and we want to stop that.”

A late-night meeting, he said, was held with the ministers of economy, agriculture, labour and welfare, as well as officials from the Central Bank and the budget organisation, to coordinate the policy shift.

The Persian-language account of the US State Department said Iran’s ongoing crises stem from repression and mismanagement by the Islamic Republic, calling for an end to what it described as a cycle of suffering.

In a New Year message posted on X, the account wished Iranians a hopeful 2026 marked by “prosperity, justice and human dignity for all.” It cited challenges faced by Iranians in 2025, including the collapse of the rial, rising food prices, air pollution, water shortages, energy crises, and increased censorship and internet disruptions.

“Continued repression and mismanagement by the Islamic Republic have deepened the people’s suffering,” the statement said, adding: “This cycle of crisis and oppression must end.”