By Mark Tanos
Protesters clashed with security forces Monday in Tehran and Mashhad, Iran, as protests shut down major commercial hubs across the country.
Demonstrators marched along Jomhouri Street in Tehran before spreading into areas the vicinity, according to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), an opposition group. The crowds moved into Naser Khosrow street and Istanbul Crossroads. Tehran-based merchants closed their shops amid the unrest, the organization reported. Merchants launched nationwide strikes and protests, closing down commercial centers like Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, according to Fox News.
Local accounts said police fired tear gas and swung batons to disperse crowds in the city center, the outlet reported.Protesters issued chants of “Shameless! Shameless!” and forced security forces back from several areas.
Footage captured crowds chanting “Death to the dictator,” according to a translation by Iran International English. Another video obtained by Sky News shows protestors forcing police back along a street. (RELATED: Trump Suggests He’ll Strike Iran Again If Military Buildup Continues)
The unrest spread to Mashhad by Monday afternoon, where protesters gathered in central squares and clashed with riot police, according to the NCRI. Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed the regime for the crisis Monday.
“The Iranian regime has ruined what should be a vibrant and prosperous country with its extremism and corruption,” Pompeo said in a post. “The people of Iran deserve a representative government that serves their interests — not those of the mullahs and their cronies.”
The Iranian rial has collapsed to record lows against the U.S. dollar, falling to nearly 1.4 million per dollar, according to Reuters.
Iranian President Masoud Prezeshkian said the government was aiming to address the economic crisis Monday. “I have tasked the Minister of the Interior to hear the legitimate demands of the protestors through dialogue with their representatives, so that the government can act with all its might to resolve problems and respond responsibly,” he wrote.
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told state media Tuesday that officials plan to establish a dialogue that includes discussions with protest leaders, Reuters reported.
“We officially recognise the protests … We hear their voices and we know that this originates from natural pressure arising from the pressure on people’s livelihoods,” Mohajerani said.
Protests spread to multiple universities as students joined merchants in the demonstrations, according to the NCRI.
