The government has responded with force to widespread protestsNov 17th 2019THE IRANIAN government seemed to know that its decision to hike the price of heavily subsidised fuel would be met with widespread anger. It waited until midnight on November 15th, the start of the Iranian weekend, to unveil the move: a 50% increase on the price of the first 60 litres of petrol purchased each month, and a 300% increase on purchases above 60 litres. But it may have been surprised by the intensity of the protests that followed.Across the country protesters have blocked traffic, torched banks and burnt petrol stations. The worst unrest has occurred in Khuzestan, an oil-rich province with a high poverty rate. Some protesters have called for the downfall of President Hassan Rouhani; others want Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, to go. “Mullahs get lost,” they shout, while burning portraits of Iran’s clerical rulers.Choose us for news analysis that respects your time and intelligenceSubscribe to The EconomistWe filter out the noise of the daily news cycle and analyse the trends that matterWe give you rigorous, deeply researched and fact-checked journalism. That’s why Americans named us their most trusted news source in 2017Available wherever you are—in print, digital and, uniquely, in audio, fully narrated by professional broadcastersThis website adheres to all nine of NewsGuard‘s standards of credibility and transparency.ORContinue reading this articleRegister with an email address