Protests have erupted in several Iranian cities, including Tehran, fueled by economic distress, a plunging rial, and rising inflation. Demonstrators are reportedly chanting slogans against the clerical regime, with some calling for the departure of clerics and invoking the pre-1979 Shah era. The unrest poses a significant challenge to the current leadership, already contending with international pressures. Analysts are debating whether the protests are primarily domestic discontent or could be influenced by external factors, with comparisons drawn to historical protest crackdowns.