Iran: Signs of New Protests Against Rise in Prices

A display featuring missiles and a portrait of Iran's Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is seen at Baharestan Square in Tehran, Iran September 27, 2017. Nazanin Tabatabaee Yazdi/TIMA via REUTERS
A display featuring missiles and a portrait of Iran's Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is seen at Baharestan Square in Tehran, Iran September 27, 2017. Nazanin Tabatabaee Yazdi/TIMA via REUTERS
TT
20

Iran: Signs of New Protests Against Rise in Prices

A display featuring missiles and a portrait of Iran's Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is seen at Baharestan Square in Tehran, Iran September 27, 2017. Nazanin Tabatabaee Yazdi/TIMA via REUTERS
A display featuring missiles and a portrait of Iran's Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is seen at Baharestan Square in Tehran, Iran September 27, 2017. Nazanin Tabatabaee Yazdi/TIMA via REUTERS

Signs of a new round of protests emerged in Tehran, after the rise in prices hit the foreign exchange market, pushing the dollar to a record high in two years.

Angry Iranians gathered on Sunday in front of the Central Bank headquarters, chanting slogans condemning the officials and demanding the resignation of the central bank governor, Abdolnaser Hemmati.

The latter was the center of recent speculations, as political circles in Tehran reported that he could run for the presidential elections scheduled for May 2021.

Iranian security forces cordoned off the streets leading to the bank, according to eyewitnesses’ reports on social networks.

Meanwhile, the government adopted security measures and arrested officials to reduce popular discontent.

Quoting the Iranian police chief, ILNA news agency reported that the authorities launched a new unit called the “economic security police” to counter economy breaches.

For its part, Fars Agency of the Revolutionary Guards quoted Colonel Nader Moradi, Deputy Commander of the Greater Tehran Police for Supervision of Commercial Venues, as saying that the police forces will “legally confront the officials of the home appliance unions who trade in goods with the aim of selling them at high prices that exceed the approved rates.”

The price of one dollar rose in recent days to 180,000 Iranian Rials, the highest record reached since August 2018, in parallel with the implementation of the US sanctions.



Taiwan on Alert over China's Military Activities in Pacific

Chinese and Taiwanese printed flags are seen in this illustration taken, April 28, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
Chinese and Taiwanese printed flags are seen in this illustration taken, April 28, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
TT
20

Taiwan on Alert over China's Military Activities in Pacific

Chinese and Taiwanese printed flags are seen in this illustration taken, April 28, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
Chinese and Taiwanese printed flags are seen in this illustration taken, April 28, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Thursday ordered defense and security units to step up their monitoring and intelligence efforts in response to China's military activities, which he said have not abated even as tensions rise in the Middle East. Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has, along with Japan, been tracking the movement of two Chinese aircraft carriers conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific for the first time, Reuters reported.

Lai, in a statement released by his office after meeting with defense officials, said the conflict between Israel and Iran has led to a "chain of global security challenges."

"From the perspective of our country and even the Indo-Pacific region, it is worth paying special attention to the fact that China's military pressure in the entire region of the first and second island chains has not slowed due to the situation in the Middle East," he said.

"The actions of the two aircraft carrier groups of the Shandong and Liaoning in the relevant waters of the first and second island chains in the past few days have posed considerable risks for the Indo-Pacific region and have aroused the heightened concern of the international community."

The first island chain refers to an area that runs from Japan southeast to Taiwan, the Philippines, and Borneo, while the second island chain spreads further out into the Pacific to include places such as the U.S. territory of Guam.

Lai said he had asked the defense and security teams to strengthen their monitoring of regional developments and enhance their "intelligence gathering and research capabilities."

At the same time, Taiwan should maintain close coordination with its "friends" to ensure a swift response to any "emergencies," he added.

China's Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment outside of office hours.

China's navy, which has been honing its abilities to operate farther from the country's coast, said last week the carrier operations were "routine training" exercises that did not target specific countries or regions. China operates two carriers, with a third undergoing sea trials.