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Former Indian Ambassador to Iran, Gaddam Dharmendra, commented on the current situation in Iran amid protests. He said that while protests are not uncommon in Iran, the current unrest is distinct in both scale and participation.
"We are into the second week of the protests. They started around the end of December, and it's about 9-10 days since the protests started. Protests are not unusual in Iran. They keep happening regularly at small levels," he told ANI. "This is an economic protest driven primarily by the distressed economic situation in the country, the high inflation rates, and high unemployment." The protests, which began toward the end of December, have spread to several cities across the country, drawing attention to the growing economic strain faced by ordinary Iranians. What sets the current wave of demonstrations apart, according to Dharmendra, is the involvement of influential social groups. "Unusually, this time, a very influential segment of society, which is the trading class, came out on the street. They shuttered shops, and they took to the streets, which is very unusual," he said. The participation of traders was soon followed by students, helping the protests gain momentum and spread to multiple regions, he said. According to the former envoy, demonstrators have largely focused on economic grievances, with chants and placards highlighting rising prices, job scarcity, and dissatisfaction with economic management. While the protests initially drew thousands, there are signs that the intensity may be easing. Dharmendra observed that "from a peak of about 3,000-plus demonstrators, we have now come down to half that number. The number of protests seems to decline." (ANI)
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