(JTA) — Iranians demonstrated against the country’s government in the streets of Tehran, protesting a recent plunge in the value of the rial, Iran’s currency.
Iranian police used tear gas to break up Wednesday’s protests, which criticized the economic policies of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, according to Reuters.
The Iranian capital’s central market also closed Wednesday out of concern for employees’ safety. No injuries were reported, and the market intends to reopen on Thursday.
Reuters reported that the rial has lost more than a third of its value this past week as sanctions have hurt Iranian oil exports, sending inflation in Iran to 25 percent. The internationally backed sanctions, led by the U.S. and European countries, aim at persuading the Iranian regime to suspend its alleged nuclear weapons program.
Preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon is a top priority of the Israeli government, as Iranian leaders have frequently threatened to destroy Israel.
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