Iranian President Masoud Pajhwok has announced economic reforms after two weeks of violent protests across the country, saying his government is ready to listen to the people and move towards a compromise to resolve the crisis.
In an interview broadcast on state television on Sunday, the president said the government was determined to solve problems caused by long-standing economic pressures and inflation. But he blamed the United States and Israel for the ongoing unrest and called the protesters “rioters” and “terrorists” and urged them to stay away.
The sharp devaluation of the Iranian currency in late December, coupled with rising living costs, sparked protests over economic demands, which later turned into anti-government protests.
Human rights groups claim that at least 192 people have been killed in the two-week protests, while state media reports that 109 security personnel have been killed in the clashes.
This is believed to be the largest protest in Iran since the movement that began in 2022–23 over the death of Masa Amini.