Demonstrations broke out in Iran on Dec. 28 and have spread nationwide as protesters vent their increasing discontent over the Islamic Republic’s faltering economy and the collapse of its currency. Dozens of people have been killed and thousands arrested as the daily protests have grown and the government seeks to contain them. While the initial focus had been on issues like spikes in the prices of food staples and the country’s staggering annual inflation rate, protesters have now begun chanting anti-government statements as well, including cries of support for the regime of the former shah, who was ousted in 1979’s Islamic Revolution.
