Iranians Protest Economic Crisis for 12th Day, Kurdish Opposition Calls for Strike

Widespread Protests Erupt Across Iran

• ⚡ Demonstrations are occurring in various parts of Iran, with calls for broader public participation.
• 📉 Protests, though smaller than in 2022, are ongoing despite a crackdown, with dozens reported dead since December 28th.
• 📢 Slogans like "Death to dictators" and "Death to Khamenei" are being chanted, targeting the supreme leader.

Economic Hardship Fuels Discontent

• 🛒 The protests are largely driven by the working classes struggling with hyperinflation and the regime's economic mismanagement.
• 📈 Supermarkets show few customers due to soaring prices; basic items like eggs and meat have become unaffordable luxuries.
• 💸 A shopkeeper notes that groceries cost four times more than a year ago, forcing people to take out loans or use credit cards for essential purchases.

Energy Sector Joins the Strike

• ⛽ Workers in the energy industry, including those at a major gas field, have joined the strike, signaling a significant escalation.

Government Response and External Pressure

• 👮 The Iranian president has instructed the police to refrain from attacking demonstrators.
• 🌍 Iran is facing pressure from both internal street protests and external forces, including the United States.

Kurdish Opposition Calls for General Strike

• ✊ Several Kurdish opposition parties based in neighboring Iraq have called for a general strike to support the ongoing protest movement.