Iran Protests Resurge as Former MP Warns Nation Is a “Dormant Volcano” Amid Economic Ruin and Repression
Striking Workers at Fajr Jam Gas Refinery continue protests into the new year – April 8, 2025
Written by
Mansoureh Galestan
A stark warning from a former member of the regime’s parliament on July 1, 2025, has confirmed what daily protests across Iran already show: the country is a tinderbox of social and economic discontent. Parvaneh Salahshouri, a former MP, confessed the regime’s precarious position, stating, “Iran is currently like a dormant volcano that any spark could lead to an explosion.” She added a warning to officials: “If they do not act, unfortunately, nothing pleasant awaits us.”
This insider admission is not a prediction of a distant future but a reflection of a volatile present, where the cries of a suffering populace grow louder, challenging a regime whose policies are the direct source of their misery.
“Our Tables are Empty”
On June 28 and 29, 2025, retirees, among the most vulnerable segments of society, once again took to the streets in cities like Tehran and Rasht to protest the regime’s “plunderous policies.” In Rasht, their chants cut to the heart of the crisis, directly linking their economic hardship to political oppression: “Enough tyranny and oppression, our tables are empty.”
#Iran’s Regime Faces Internal Reckoning as Ceasefire Beginshttps://t.co/cC94qGKplK
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 25, 2025
Their protests were not just a plea but a call to action for the wider population. With slogans like “Our pain is your pain, join us, compatriots,” these pensioners are demonstrating a growing awareness that a united front is necessary to confront a system that has failed them. These recurring demonstrations underscore the severe impact of rampant inflation and inadequate pensions, which have left millions unable to afford basic necessities.
13 Million Lose Income
The regime’s attempts to quell dissent through repression are actively fueling the economic crisis. In a stunning admission on June 29, 2025, regime-linked economist Hossein Raghfar revealed that internet shutdowns—which the regime imposed during the 12-day war with Israel—have deprived 13 million Iranians of their income.
This includes 5 million motorcycle couriers and 8 million citizens who earn a living through internet-based ride-hailing services. Raghfar noted the devastating impact on the most impoverished classes, stating, “This war has had the greatest impact on the lives of the general public and the lower classes; strata that had a critical livelihood situation even before the war, and now the situation has worsened.” This data provides undeniable proof that the regime’s political survival tactics are directly causing mass unemployment and deepening poverty.
#IranProtests Expose Regime's Illegitimacy and Brutalityhttps://t.co/zv3F1zV310
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 12, 2025
A Regime Fueling Its Own Demise
Alongside these economic protests, a defiant political cry continues to challenge the regime’s pillars of control. On July 1, 2025, families of political prisoners and defiant youths in various cities held actions under the banner of “No to Executions,” highlighting the inseparable nature of the people’s struggle for both bread and freedom.
The convergence of these protests paints a clear picture. The chants of pensioners in Rasht, the economic devastation caused by state-imposed internet blackouts, and the public outcry against executions are not isolated incidents. They are the sparks landing on the “dormant volcano” that Parvaneh Salahshouri described. The regime, trapped in a cycle of corruption and repression that only deepens public fury, is witnessing the very conditions that threaten to ignite the nationwide explosion it fears.