Iran's Nationwide Protests Turn 'Political'

ALBAWABA - Iranians are literally protesting all over the country against exceedingly high cost of living and under continuing hashtags that include ( #IranProtests #IranProtests2022 #IranianUprising2022). 

Apart of the news media with their different stories, the social media has carried much news about what is actually happening in Iran where protests are not just in one area but are spreading throughout the country and quickly.

AFP reports "hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets in cities across southeastern Iran...protesting against sudden increases in the price of staple foods, which have soared up to 300% for some products. Our Observer is a protester hit hard by the runaway inflation, which she says has been brought on by the Iranian regime."

Similarly, Anadolu reports on the violence that have been taking place in Iran as a result of protests, stating one person died during demonstrations in Iran against rising food prices and shortages on last Saturday. Speaking to the Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA), lawmaker Ahmed Awayi said one person died in the city of Endimeshk in the southwestern province of Khuzestan during the protest with arrests.

The protests are becoming viral on the social media despite reports that the internet is being cut in Iran though this is unconfirmed but many are saying they are increasing relaying on reports from outside the country for information that is becoming restricted as the authorities try to contain the protests. 

Another angle that is being reported is that the social and economic protests against the raising prices are becoming political with more and more people calling for a change in the top leadership that includes the long time spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi who was elected in 2021 under a traditional conservative ticket but was said to be a pragmatist.

Obviously the pragmatism is not working because it has been reported that protests are taking place against soaring food prices in different parts of the country with demonstrator looking for solutions.