Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Iran central bank governor blames protests for currency's fall

Iran central bank governor blames protests for currency's fall

Iran's central bank governor on Saturday partly blamed recent anti-government unrest for the fall of the Iranian currency to record lows, while authorities detained a prominent actress who had voiced support for protesters.
The unrest, which poses one of the biggest challenges to theocratic rule in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, also saw groups of oil workers holding protests on Saturday to demand higher wages, according to reports on social media.

The wider unrest currently gripping Iran was triggered by the Sept. 16 death in detention of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was arrested for wearing "inappropriate attire" under Iran's strict Islamic dress code for women.

Authorities on Saturday detained Taraneh Alidoosti, star of "The Salesman" which won an Academy Award for best foreign language film in 2016, after she voiced support for the protests and posted a photo of herself without a head scarf with a sign reading "Woman, life, freedom" - a main slogan of demonstrators.

"Alidoosti, who did not provide documents backing up some of her claims, was arrested hours ago by an order of the judicial authority," the official news agency IRNA quoted a judiciary statement as saying.

The statement said several celebrities had been summoned over "unsubstantiated comments about recent events, and publishing provocative material in support of earlier street riots", and that some were detained. It did not elaborate.

In 2020, Alidoosti received a five-month suspended sentence after she criticised on Twitter the morality police, which enforces hijab or Islamic dress code.

Alidoosti was the latest of dozens of artists, journalists and lawyers detained over the past three months for speaking out against a violent security crackdown on the protesters, some of whom have been released on bail.

Separately, Central Bank governor Ali Salehabadi acknowledged that "the events of the past two months" had contributed, along with U.S. sanctions, to a record fall of the Iranian currency, but suggested dollars could be injected into the market to shore up the troubled rial.

"To make adjustments in the (foreign exchange) market, we in the Central Bank will act both as a market-maker and as a hard currency policymaker," Salehabadi told state TV. "Whichever hard currency is more in demand, we will offer that in the market."

Iran's troubled currency fell to a new low against the U.S. dollar on Saturday as Iranians desperate to find safe havens for their savings have been trying to buy dollars, other hard currencies or gold.

The dollar sold for as much as 395,600 rials on the unofficial market, up from 386,800 on Friday, according to foreign exchange site Bonbast.com.

The economic daily Donya-e-Eqtesad’s website gave the dollar rate as 382,300, up 1.2% from Friday.

The rial has lost nearly 20% of its value since the nationwide protests erupted three months ago. In May 2018, the currency was trading at about 65,000 per U.S. dollar just before the United States withdrew from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers and reimposed sanctions on the country.

A video shared on Twitter by 1500tasvir, an account that has 400,000 followers, showed what it said was a metro station in Tehran on Saturday with the crowd chanting, "Political prisoners must be freed!"

According to the activist HRANA news agency, 495 protesters had been killed as of Friday, including 68 minors. Sixty-two members of the security forces have also been killed. It said 18,450 people are estimated to have been arrested.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Saudi Arabia Faces Uncertainty Over Succession After Mohammed bin Salman
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
×