Trump cancels meetings with Iranian officials and tells protesters 'help is on its way'

[EX500rider]

15. I'd say it most certainly is home grown, not like they don't have reasons enough

What triggered the protests?
The protests began around two weeks ago in Tehran’s bazaars over rampant inflation but have spread to more than 180 cities and towns across the country, morphing into general protests against the regime.

Concerns over inflation came to a head when the prices of basic goods such as cooking oil and chicken dramatically spiked, with some products vanishing from shelves altogether.

Exacerbating the situation was a decision by the central bank to end a program allowing some importers to access cheaper US dollars compared to the rest of the market. This led shopkeepers to increase prices and some to shut their doors, sparking the demonstrations.

The move by the bazaaris, as shopkeepers in the bazaars are known, is a drastic measure for a group traditionally supportive of the Islamic Republic.

Iran’s reformist government attempted to alleviate the pressure by offering direct cash handouts of almost $7 per month to the entire population, but the move failed to quell the unrest.

Fueled by poverty and sometimes ethnic inequality, crowds chanted “Death to Khamenei,” directly challenging Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate authority over the nation’s religious and state affairs.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/12/middleeast/iran-mass-protests-explained-intl