Khamenei ousts Great Satan as enemy No 1

Street protesters in Iran last week chanted ‘‘Death to Khamenei’’ and ‘‘Death to inflation’’, mimicking the ‘‘Death to America’’ refrain popularised after the 1979 Islamic revolution.

In the past when things were going badly, Tehran’s leaders blamed outside forces and its citizens largely believed them. ‘‘The Great Satan’’ was responsible for just about every problem. But this time it was different.

‘‘Iran is trying to say Donald Trump is behind all our miseries, but it is only the House of Khamenei (the supreme leader) that is to blame,’’ said Murad, a father of three.

‘‘People look at some of the majestic houses and villas and the lifestyle of a minority at the top and wonder how on Earth they have managed to have this when the majority are so poor,’’ said the 45-year-old electrician, from a working-class neighbourhood of the capital.

The value of the rial has dropped by 80 per cent since the start of the year, while food prices have doubled. The elite drive imported luxury cars and invest their wealth in gold when times get tough, while those at the bottom struggle to afford the basics.

Murad decided to join the demonstrations after his wages dropped and his youngest son lost his job, protesting for the first time in his life. ‘‘People are no longer blaming the president of a foreign country, they blame the leadership of this country.’’

Iran’s economy was already in such dire straits that few have felt the effects of the fresh United States sanctions, which took effect last week.

Trump called them the ‘‘most biting’’ yet, though in reality the so-called snap-back sanctions simply reimposed measures that were in place before the 2015 nuclear deal that the US president abandoned in May.

They have only added to Iran’s deep-seated problems of corruption, a chaotic banking system, high unemployment after decades of mismanagement by leaders, and its over-reach in regional affairs. – Telegraph Group