A new state of crisis threatens Iran as the United States increases its pressure

. Khorramshahr, in the south-west of the country, during a protest provoked by anger against drinking water that resulted in more general claims against the Tehran government.

The uprising occurred after thousands of people invaded the grand bazaar of Tehran. government of the Iranian president

Hassan Rouhani

fight to cope with the increase in unemployment, the collapse of the currency and other economic problems. In Khorramshahr, a video broadcast on social media on Friday showed big crowds chanting "Death in Rouhani". Other videos purporting to capture weekend events showed that people were clashing with security forces and setting fire to the streets. What appeared to be shots could be heard in the background of some. The videos could not be verified independently.

An official from the Iranian Interior Ministry said 10 policemen were wounded in clashes on Saturday. The Iranian authorities have stated that no one has died.

Economic problems and political complaints provoked a wave of public protests in late December and early January in more than 100 Iranian cities, which was the largest public reprimand of Iranian rulers for nearly a decade. A crackdown by the security forces has largely curbed these demonstrations.

Wednesday, Secretary of State of the United States

Mike Pompeo

expressed support for Tehran bazaar protesters, tweeting that Iranians "are tired of the corruption, injustice and incompetence of their leaders, the world hears their voice."

The United States has recently warned Iranian crude buyers that they might face US sanctions if they do not cut trading ties before Nov. 4, while Washington seeks to increase pressure on Tehran. missile development and regional military activities.

President

Donald Trump

In May, it withdrew from the Iranian nuclear deal, which allowed the Islamic Republic to escape international sanctions in exchange for limiting its disputed nuclear program. The agreement between six world powers and Iran was a priority of the administration of former President Barack Obama.

In Khorramshahr, the governor, Valiollah Hayati, said Sunday that the order had been reinstated after the clashes.

"In street protests, some people get angry and some abuse the opportunity and carry out actions that disrupt the order," said Iran's interior minister.

Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli

said Sunday, according to IRNA. "In this case, the police are obliged to fulfill their duty or there will be no order."

The recent protests took place in a context of rising unemployment and inflation. Stressing the pain for investors and importers, the Iranian rial has lost nearly half of its value against the dollar since the beginning of the year to unregulated trade.

The bazaar protests are particularly noteworthy

Although smaller than the winter protests, the most recent actions have highlighted the daunting challenges facing Iran's rulers as they struggle against a attempt by the United States and its regional rival, Saudi Arabia. While the issues underlying the recent protests predate the Trump administration, analysts say the US pressure has helped to accentuate existing tensions

"The Trump administration's strategy is to submit Iran at tremendous pressure to achieve one of the following two results: Gold regime implosion regime implosion, "said

Karim Sadjadpour,

a senior analyst at the Carnegie Foundation for International Peace. "It is also possible, however, that this strategy serves to strengthen Iran's extremist security forces or leads to military conflict."

million. Rouhani reacted to new US pressures in a speech aired on state television Wednesday, promising to "put the United States on its knees", but offering little solutions to the problems weighing on the US government. Iranian economy.

million. Rouhani asked the government to cut spending and take measures to control foreign exchange markets and curb the fall of the rial.

After protests and bazaar strikes, nearly two-thirds of Iran's deputies sent a letter to Mr. Rouhani. that he is remaking his economic team. Rouhani said Wednesday that his government will not resign.

The supreme guide of Iran, the ayatollah

Ali Khamenei

Blamed the United States for the unrest and on Wednesday called on the judicial system to deal with anyone disrupting Iran's economic order. On Saturday, he said the United States and its regional allies – a reference to Arab Gulf countries led by Saudi Arabia – were teaming up to try to turn the Iranian people against its government.

Some Iranian officials have stated that the Khorramshahr protests and disturbances that occurred on June 23 in the nearby town of Abadan, also over water, should not have been A suprise. A video posted on

Twitter

On Saturday, the Center for Human Rights in Iran, a non-profit organization based in the United States, showed that brown water was flowing from a faucet into a drain, highlighting the daily struggle of the people of Khorramshahr

We cautioned the situation of Abadan and Khorramshahr today to all types of officials, but no one took it to the seriously, "said Gholamreza Sharafi, a member of Abadan's parliament, at the semi-official Iranian news agency," they were violent when they had water and security. "[19659021] -Aresu Eqbali contributed to this article