Iran Commences Trial of Anti-Government Protesters Despite International Warnings

Following a high-level meeting between President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the administration reiterated its stance to take uncompromising action against those accused of murder and "terrorist conspiracies."

The protests, which erupted on December 28 last year, were sparked by a severe economic crisis characterized by hyperinflation and the unprecedented devaluation of the Iranian Rial, which has hit a record low of 145,000 per U.S. Dollar. While international media outlets report that over a thousand people have been killed in the unrest, Iranian authorities have yet to provide an official casualty count. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has blamed the United States and Israel for instigating the turmoil, alleging that their intelligence agencies are providing financial and military support to the protesters. Amidst the ongoing legal actions and political tension, most of the country remains under a strict internet blackout.