UPDATED WITH THE LATEST MAIN DEVELOPMENTS: Markets Go Dark, Streets Fill Again: Iran’s Protest Wave Spreads Into Day Nine
Iran’s nationwide protest movement entered its ninth day on Monday with fresh street gatherings in Tehran and provincial capitals, a widening pattern of merchant-led shutdowns, and a hardening security posture signaled through both official warnings and reports of force used against demonstrators.
The latest reports included a midday protest in Tehran’s Cheragh-Bargh area, where videos circulated showing apparent beatings and detentions, alongside renewed calls from officials to confront what they describe as “rioters.”
Strikes Expand from Local Markets to Larger Commercial Nodes
A core feature of this protest wave remains the economic “stop-work” tactic: shop closures, shuttered bazaars, and rolling strike calls that seek to impose economic costs while amplifying public visibility.
Reports and footage described business closures and market slowdowns in multiple cities, with observers noting that even partial shutdowns can disrupt supply chains and undermine the government’s effort to project normalcy.
New Demonstrations in Tehran: Cheragh-Bargh Protest and Reports of Arrests
The most prominent “new” development Monday was a reported protest gathering in Tehran’s Cheragh-Bargh district, where demonstrators were heard chanting for “freedom,” and later videos appeared to show security forces dragging a person along the ground and striking individuals seated in an alleyway.
According to an eyewitness account carried by Persian-language reporting by the international media, officers reportedly pursued demonstrators into a shopping passage and nearby alley, fired tear gas, and detained at least three people after entering both the alley and parts of the mall.
Because access is restricted and many clips are user-generated, the precise sequence of events and the number of detainees cannot be independently confirmed.
Provincial Flashpoints: Yasuj, Mashhad, and Night Protests Elsewhere
Outside the capital, video and compiled updates pointed to continued gatherings and street activity, including a demonstration outside the governorate building in Yasuj (Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad), where protesters chanted slogans focused on detention and unequal outcomes for elites.
In Mashhad, separate footage published by Persian-language outlets showed tense street scenes and alleged rough treatment by riot police, including attempts to detain individuals amid public shouting and intervention by bystanders.
Meanwhile, additional clips and reports described night-time protest activity in multiple cities (including parts of Fars province), indicating that despite intensified security deployment, localized rallies have continued after dark.
Security Pressure Intensifies: Official Warnings and IRGC Messaging
Iran’s judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje’i issued new warnings indicating there would be less “leniency” than in past unrest, framing the protests as linked to foreign support and calling for identifying alleged “leaders” and “instigators.”
At the provincial level, an IRGC statement from Lorestan signaled a sharper posture as well, claiming the period of “tolerance” had ended and warning of decisive confrontation with what it called “agents of unrest.”
These official messages—paired with the circulation of arrest videos from Tehran—reinforced the sense that authorities are attempting to deter participation through visible enforcement and escalating rhetoric.
Deaths and Detentions: Partial Official Acknowledgment in Qom
In one of the few instances of partial official confirmation, a Qom provincial official was quoted acknowledging two deaths during the past week’s unrest in the province, while disputing the source and type of weapon used.
Human-rights-oriented reporting and activist networks continue to publish higher estimates of deaths and detentions nationwide, but comprehensive verification remains difficult amid internet disruption and limited on-the-ground access.
Government Seeks to Cool Economic Anger: Budget Vote and Pay-Raise Revisions
Alongside enforcement, authorities have also moved on the economic front. Iran’s parliament approved the general outline of the 1405 (2026/27) budget bill, with reporting emphasizing a revised framework that includes tiered wage increases (up to 43% for lower-income employees) after earlier proposals were criticized and faced pushback.
State-linked reporting also highlighted inflation pressures—figures circulated indicating year-on-year inflation above 50% in recent months—underscoring the economic context that helped spark protests tied to currency shocks and purchasing-power collapse.
Currency and Gold Rise Again in the Open Market
After a brief pullback, market indicators tracked by Iranian financial reporting showed renewed pressure: the open-market dollar rate rising again (reported around 142,000 tomans) and higher prices for gold and the Emami coin.
Economic volatility has been central to this protest wave’s momentum, especially among shopkeepers and informal-sector workers whose businesses depend on stable pricing and predictable imports.
Internet Disruptions: Acknowledged, Regionally Applied, Economically Costly
Reports also described regionally applied internet restrictions, with users in multiple cities describing slowed connectivity and service instability that complicates communication and the verification of events.
Separate reporting cited government-linked acknowledgment that restrictions were imposed for security reasons while also recognizing the economic damage caused by disruptions to commerce and services.
Cultural and Civil Voices: Shajarian Cancels Concerts; Political Figures Demand Accountability
On the cultural front, singer Homayoun Shajarian announced he was canceling upcoming European concerts, saying he could not perform amid the current national mood and reports of repression.
In politics, reformist figure Azar Mansouri called for accountability over what she described as a “tragedy” in Ilam’s Malekshahi, urging identification and prosecution of those responsible.
A separate political statement from Iran’s Freedom Movement (Nehzat-e Azadi) emphasized that public anger is driven not only by poverty but also by perceived discrimination and inequality.
International Reactions: Trump Warning, Tehran Dismisses It as “Psychological War”
Internationally, U.S. President Donald Trump again warned Iranian authorities against violent repression, repeating that severe consequences would follow if protesters were killed.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei dismissed Trump’s remarks as “psychological warfare” and media pressure, while also condemning outside encouragement as illegitimate interference.
Photo: Iran Wire