Iran vows harsh crackdown on economic protests  

Despite a massive security presence, many Iranian cities continue to witness rallies triggered by soaring prices, with protesters chanting slogans against the country's top leadership.  
An Iranian shops at a food store in Tehran on May 13, 2021.
An Iranian shops at a food store in Tehran on May 13, 2021, as prices on basic goods soar. Hundreds of people have taken to the streets in cities across Iran to protest the government's decision to raise the prices of essential goods, state media reported today. - AFP via Getty Images
Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East
Al-Monitor Staff

Deputy commander of Iran's police Brig. Gen. Qasem Rezaee issued a severe warning against Iranian protesters infuriated by a sharp steep in prices of basic food products.  

"Police will act against those individuals with firmness," Rezaee declared in an interview May 19, adding that his forces "will not tolerate" the rallies in which "public and private properties" have been targeted.   

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