When the Quds Force fears economic collapse: "Take the protests of Tehran's bazaars seriously"
The government's recklessness in containing the economic crisis led the Quds Force channel to warn about the demonstrations in Tehran's bazaars and highlight the dimensions of the economic crisis in the shadow of the protests.
On Sunday, December 28, 2019, large parts of Tehran's bazaar witnessed a wave of strikes and protests, rooted in economic pressure, a sharp increase in the exchange rate, and a decline in people's purchasing power. The situation, which continued until Monday, December 29, 2019, became so acute that even official channels close to the Islamic Republic's security institutions expressed concern about it, a rare occurrence that shows the depth of the crisis.
A Telegram channel affiliated with the Quds Force posted a message a few minutes ago, saying: "The authorities are expected to respond properly to the people's protests, otherwise the path will be paved for another war with Israel." This stance clearly reflects fear not only of escalating domestic unrest, but also of the regional consequences of instability in Iran.
The protests began on Sunday, January 27, when merchants at Tehran’s Alaeddin Mobile Mall closed their shops and began their protest from inside the mall, chanting slogans such as “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid/We are all together.” The rally then spread to the vicinity of Hafez Bridge and Jomhouri Street, where protesters tried to encourage other marketers and citizens to join in.
Videos posted on social media show that these strikes have spread from Alaeddin Passage to the Chaharsu Commercial Complex, Shush Bazaar, Chahar Souk Bazaar, and more.
Protesters in these gatherings, while closing shops and blocking trade routes, protested the deteriorating state of the Iranian economy and emphasized the need for unity and mutual support.
One of the main factors behind the anger of the marketers is the unprecedented increase in the dollar exchange rate; in recent days, the peak of the protests was due to the increase in the dollar price in the open market, which exceeded 144,000 tomans, a significant increase from about 114,000 tomans a month earlier.
This surge has affected not only the price of goods, but also the cost of imports, the price of goods, and ultimately the daily livelihood of people. This same economic pressure has caused even traditional and historical markets like Tehran Bazaar, which have shown their resilience during the years of crisis, to protest.
Today's protests in Tehran's bazaar are part of a broader wave of economic discontent that has engulfed other parts of Iranian society in 2025. Multiple sources have reported on workers' strikes, pensioners' gatherings, and union protests by other groups, indicating that the widespread protests indicate that the crisis has gone beyond a specific area.
By warning about the dangers of the consequences of these protests, the Quds Force channel has implicitly shown that even media sectors close to power no longer deny the economic and social situation and have indirectly called for accountability from the authorities.
Although there has been no established report of violent repression of the protesters at the time of writing, the atmosphere of economic and political discontent is visible on the streets of Tehran. In the videos released, protesters have also chanted slogans such as “security forces/support, support,” which could be a sign of pressure for more constructive engagement with security forces rather than harsh confrontations.
As the rial's value continues to fall and the cost of living increases, analysts believe these protests could reinforce a pattern of widespread union and popular protests in the coming months, an issue that has been seen and raised not only by civil society, but also by media outlets affiliated with the power structure.
