Iranian protesters call for revolution as failing economy causes food prices to double

IRANIAN police clashed with protesters demonstrating against government corruption yesterday, in a rare public show of discontent.

About 300 people gathered in the western city of Kermanshah calling for a revolution, shouting “where’s my paycheck?”, “the people are begging, the clerics act like God” and “death to the dictator”. It followed similar protests in the north-east city of Mashhad, where 50 people were arrested.

The government of Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s president, has been unable to control spiralling prices with the costs of basics such as milk and eggs doubling in a week.

Despite the loosening of international sanctions in 2015, the country has seen little economic growth and few ordinary residents feel they have benefited. There have been calls on social media for widespread protests, despite warnings from the government.

The outbreak of unrest reflects growing discontent over rising prices and alleged corruption, and also at the country’s costly involvement in regional conflicts such as Syria and Iraq. The protests came as Tehran looked to have bowed to internal pressure to relax its strict Islamic dress codes.

Morality police in the capital will no longer automatically arrest women seen without the proper hijab headcovering in public. Younger and more liberal-minded women have long pushed the boundaries, wearing loose headscarves and painting their nails.

The announcement signalled an easing of punishments for violating the dress code, as called for by the reformminded Iranians who helped re-elect Mr Rouhani, a relative moderate, earlier this year.