Iran vows harsh crackdown on economic protests
Despite a massive security presence, many Iranian cities continue to witness rallies triggered by soaring prices, with protesters chanting slogans against the country's top leadership.
Deputy commander of Iran's police Brig. Gen. Qasem Rezaee issued a severe warning against Iranian protesters infuriated by a sharp steep in prices of basic food products.
"Police will act against those individuals with firmness," Rezaee declared in an interview May 19, adding that his forces "will not tolerate" the rallies in which "public and private properties" have been targeted.
Much of Iran's impoverished south and southwest has been rocked by protests over the past 10 days amid a jump in the already high food prices. The new rallies gathered steam after hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi introduced an ambitious regulatory program aimed at abolishing subsidies, making up for them with higher cash handouts. The government has defended the plan as an "economic surgery" leading to a fair distribution of public funds.
Already facing livelihood strains and speaking from past experience, Iranian protesters fear that more biting inflation rates could shoot up prices of products well beyond the list of the designated food staples. Iran's government, on the other hand, has promised that with its controlling economic policies, it will keep the cap as tight as possible.
