Hundreds took to the streets of Iran\u2019s second largest city of Mashad on Thursday to protest over high prices, shouting slogans against the government.<\/p>\n
Videos posted on social media showed demonstrators in Mashad in northwest Iran, one of the holiest places in Shia Islam, chanting \u201cdeath to (President Hassan) Rouhani\u201d and \u201cdeath to the dictator\u201d.<\/p>\n
The semi-official ILNA news agency and social media reported demonstrations in other cities in Razavi Khorasan Province, including Neyshabour and Kashmar.<\/p>\n
Rouhani\u2019s signature achievement, a deal in 2015 with world powers to curb Iran\u2019s nuclear program in return for lifting most international sanctions, has yet to bring the broad economic benefits the government says are coming.<\/p>\n
Many Iranians believe their economic situation has not improved due to corruption and mismanagement.<\/p>\n
Unemployment stood at 12.4 percent in this fiscal year, according to the Statistical Centre of Iran, up 1.4 percent from the previous year. About 3.2 million Iranians are jobless, out of a total population of 80 million.<\/p>\n
Mashad governor Mohammad Rahim Norouzian was quoted by the semi-official ISNA news agency as saying that \u201cthe demonstration was illegal but the police dealt with people with tolerance\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said a number of protesters were arrested for \u201ctrying to damage public property\u201d.<\/p>\n
Videos posted on social media showed riot police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse crowds.<\/p>\n
Norouzian was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA that the protests were organized by \u201cenemies of the Islamic Republic\u201d and \u201ccounter-revolutionaries\u201d.<\/p>\n
Demonstrators also chanted \u201dleave Syria, think about us\u201d, criticizing Iran\u2019s deployment of troops to support President Bashar al-Assad against the uprising that broke out in 2011.<\/p>\n
Tehran has also provided funds to prop up Syria\u2019s struggling economy.<\/p>\n
Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has repeatedly criticized the government\u2019s economic record, said on Wednesday that the nation was struggling with \u201chigh prices, inflation and recession\u201d, and asked officials to resolve the problems with determination.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: Reuters<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hundreds took to the streets of Iran\u2019s second largest city of Mashad on Thursday to protest over high prices, shouting slogans against the government. Videos posted on social media showed demonstrators in Mashad in northwest Iran, one of the holiest places in Shia Islam, chanting \u201cdeath to (President Hassan) Rouhani\u201d and \u201cdeath to the dictator\u201d. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":387107,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[107],"tags":[15707,938],"yoast_head":"\n