Protests in Iran have ignited, which are the largest in the country since 2022. These protests in Iran’s capital city of Tehran are connected to the economic pain the Iranian People have faced, driven by a spike in inflation, according to The New York Times. These protests are different than 2022, as those protests were connected to the unjust death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody, but the protests share a common thread of pain experienced by the people of Iran. These protests are not currently as large as the ones in 2022. It has been reported that, thus far, one protester has been killed in the current protest. After United States President Donald Trump stated that the United States would come to the aid of protestors in Iran if the Iranian Government used force against protestors, Iranian officials said they would act on any interference from the United States, which includes the targeting of United States bases, according to The New York Times.  

The economy in Iran has been a pain point for Iranian citizens for years, tied mainly to nuclear program sanctions imposed by the United States and European countries. The sanctions passed by the United Nations in September are even harsher than those imposed by the United States on Iran. The economy was also drained by Iran’s 12-day war with Israel last June. The government shut down for a day last week in much of the country and ordered businesses to stay closed in 21 of 31 of Iran’s provinces due to the protests. There has been a wide number of pain points for the Iranian people beyond the economy connected to these protests, as water shortages have continued to plague the nation. The new Bank Chief of Iran, Mr. Hemmati, outlined pillars to combat the economic hardships that the country has experienced, but the economic hardships will continue until concrete measures are implemented and positive results occur.  

The people of Iran have experienced economic hardship for years, with recent past protests stemming from restrictions on women’s rights, and the mentioned economic hardships and water shortages. What comes from these promised and outlined measures will take time, and the issues facing the Iranian people stem from more than just the economy. This is something that international organizations like the United Nations have noted: a surge in repression and violence against citizens in the country, dating back to the 12-day war. The human rights and safety of the Iranian people must be paramount to the international community, including the United Nations.