Economic and Political Discontent in Iran
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On October 3, 2012, Iranian citizens took to the streets of Tehran to demonstrate against the rising cost of living, deteriorating living standards, increasing unemployment, and the devaluation of the Iranian currency, the rial. Riot police, however, clashed with the protesters and fired tear gas to disperse the crowds. Iran has been sanctioned over its nuclear program and its systematic abuse of basic human rights. These violations include crackdowns on protests, severe censorship, discrimination against women and minorities, politically motivated sentencing, excessive use of the death penalty, and more. While many of the human rights related sanctions are targeted at individuals complicit in abuses, the broader sanctions have taken a toll on the every day citizen.