Iran Erupts: Economic Crisis, Trump's Sanctions Fuel Widespread Protests

• Widespread protests have erupted across Iran, fueled by a collapsing currency (Iranian rial > 42,000 to USD), over 42% inflation, and deep-seated political anger.
• Demonstrations in major cities like Tehran, Mashhad, and Isfahan feature chants against the "dictatorship" and the "Islamic Republic," with clashes reported as security forces disperse crowds.
• The immediate cause is Iran's economic free fall, leading to soaring prices for essentials and stagnant wages, though state media frames protests as limited economic grievances.
• US sanctions, particularly Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, are a major factor in Iran's economic crisis.
• Donald Trump's renewed hardline stance and the Iran-Israel conflict have further destabilized market confidence, accelerating the rial's collapse.

Why It Matters: Iran faces severe unrest driven by economic collapse, fueled by US sanctions and political discontent.