SHANGHAI, January 13. /TASS/. Tehran has the ability to overcome the current escalation of social tensions despite considerable internal and external pressure, Sun Degang, director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, told TASS.
"These protests represent a major challenge for the authorities; the government of President Masoud Pezeshkian must improve the economic situation, stabilize prices, and increase employment, while also countering potential economic sanctions and military intervention from the United States and Israel," the expert said. "Iran has very limited capabilities to address both internal problems and respond to external military threats. However, overall, the scale of demonstrations in Iran has decreased, and on January 12, a demonstration in support of the government took place, making it likely that the Iranian authorities will ultimately be able to resolve this crisis."
Sun Degang recalled the large-scale protests repeatedly faced by Iran in the past, including those following the 2009 election and the 2022 unrest, noting that protest demonstrations have typically been related to domestic political issues. "The current protests in Iran concern internal issues linked to people’s livelihoods being at risk, but are also influenced by external infiltration and intervention, with economic and security problems directly affecting the stability of Iranian authorities," the professor concluded.
Unrest in the country began on December 29 after street protests triggered by a sharp fall in the Iranian rial exchange rate, and spread to most major cities. Authorities reported the deaths of 38 law enforcement officers. According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, armed terrorists appeared among the demonstrators on January 8. The Iranian authorities blamed Israel and the United States for organizing the unrest. US President Donald Trump previously stated that he was seriously considering the use of force against Tehran.