Iranian Provincial Capital Hit By Second Night Of Protests

RFL/RE – Protesters have taken to the streets of an Iranian provincial capital near Tehran for a second consecutive night to voice anger over the country’s growing economic difficulties, social-media posts suggest.

Videos posted on social networks on August 2 appeared to show protesters in Karaj’s neighborhood of Gohardasht chanting slogans calling for the overthrow of the cleric-led establishment.

RFE/RL could not verify the authenticity of the video.

In one video the crowd is seen chanting “Death to the dictator,” in an apparent reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Another video apparently shows at least one police motorcycle burning.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or arrests in Karaj, the capital of Alborz Province.

Hundreds of demonstrators have reportedly rallied in several Iranian cities this week in protest against high inflation and increasing economic hardship caused in part by the dramatic decline of the national currency, the rial, which has lost more than half its value against the dollar since April.

The United States pulled out from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers in May and vowed to reimpose sanctions against Iran that were lifted as part of the accord, accelerating the drop of the country’s currency.