ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) on Wednesday voiced support for nationwide protests in Iran, sparked by worsening economic conditions and a sharp collapse of the rial.
The demonstrations entered their fourth consecutive day after Tehran shopkeepers began protesting on Sunday as the currency fell to record lows against the US dollar. Protests have since spread to several cities across the country.
In a statement, the PDKI said it supports the “new wave of protests and demonstrations,” arguing that meaningful change will only come through unity among all social groups.
“The Islamic Republic will continue to oppress the people unless all classes and segments of society unite to free themselves from this criminal regime,” the party said.
The PDKI, a Kurdish opposition group, has fought an intermittent insurgency against Tehran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has tasked the interior minister with engaging protesters and addressing their demands.
On Tuesday, Pezeshkian met labor leaders and pledged to listen to protesters’ “legitimate demands” while working to protect livelihoods, according to Mehr News Agency.
Iran’s chief justice, Mohammad Movahedi-Azad, said peaceful protest was legitimate but warned that unrest or damage to public property would face a “decisive” response.
The rial has plunged in recent weeks amid renewed sanctions and diplomatic pressure, trading at around 1.42 million rials to the dollar when protests erupted, compared with about 820,000 a year ago.
Inflation stands near 50 percent, with rising import costs further squeezing living standards.
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