US officials voice support for Iranian demonstrators as protests intensify following currency crisis, with reports of tear gas and security crackdowns.

The protests erupted Sunday and gathered pace Monday after the Islamic Republic’s currency, the rial, hit a record low against the dollar. Many in Iran are already struggling with the cost of living, and rising prices have fueled concerns about potential hyperinflation.

Despite being so far limited, this week’s protests mark the latest chapter in growing discontent in Iran, while a population quietly reclaims public spaces and personal freedoms through uncoordinated acts of defiance.

Iran protests escalated as demonstrators clashed with security forces in Tehran and Mashhad, with tear gas deployed amid nationwide strikes, reports say.

Iranian students staged street protests in Tehran on Tuesday, a day after the capital's shopkeepers demonstrated against economic hardship and won a message of understanding from the president.

The intense protests are in response to Iran’s plunging economy that has made life unaffordable for many of its people.

Iranian students staged street protests in Tehran on Tuesday, a day after the capital’s shopkeepers demonstrated against economic hardship and won a messag

The Iranian rial hit a record low against the US dollar on Sunday, prompting shopkeepers in Tehran to stage protests, which have quickly spread.

Iran's leadership is facing mounting pressure from abroad and emerging dissent from within as street protests over its reeling economy and the threat of a new round of military strikes hang over the country.