A senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei met Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Friday, an Iranian lawmaker confirmed, amid reports that the Syrian president is desperately reaching out to his friends and foes to secure his grip on authority.
The protests, which ranged from demands for overdue payments and benefits to objections over steep tuition hikes, highlighted the growing discontent among various sectors of society.
On Saturday, hundreds of retired teachers gathered outside Iran’s Parliament in Tehran to demand the payment of their long-delayed entitlements.
Protesters, primarily those who retired in 2021, held 100,000-rial banknotes as a symbolic gesture of national currency's devaluation, chanting slogans such as, “Shout, shout / Against all this injustice.”
Iran's currency has lost 99.99% of its value since 1979, the year the Islamic Republic was established. In 1978, 100,000 rials was valued at $1,428; today, it is worth only 14 cents.
The demonstrators also directed their dissatisfaction toward Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, shouting, “Ghalibaf, have some shame / fulfill our rights.”
The Free Union of Iranian Workers estimated that around 1,000 teachers from provinces including Tehran, Alborz, and Qom participated in the rally.
Protesters condemned the government for failing to fully implement the job classification law, which mandates that retired teachers receive pensions equal to 90% of the salaries of active educators. They also criticized delays in payments, noting that similar demonstrations on November 20 had resulted in no tangible progress.
Students protest steep tuition hikes
Simultaneously, medical students from Azad University marched in protest against tuition hikes during a visit by Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i to the university’s Science and Research campus.
Holding banners students expressed outrage at what they termed astronomical fee increases.
Students from medical, dental, and pharmacy programs have been protesting since October 13 against an almost 200% hike in tuition fees. Despite repeated demonstrations at locations including Parliament and the Ministry of Science, students say that officials have failed to address their grievances.
Azad University President Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi has defended the tuition increases, describing them as natural for a self-financed institution. However, students argue that such hikes ignore their financial realities.
Professors fight for reinstatement
Adding to the wave of protests, 20 dismissed or suspended university professors wrote an open letter to President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday, accusing the government of failing to reinstate them despite prior assurances. The professors said they were removed from their posts for defending academic freedom, not violating any law as government officials have suggested.
In recent years, Iran has witnessed a significant number of university professors being dismissed from their positions. This trend intensified following the nationwide protests in September 2022. Most of the dismissed academics had expressed support for the protests or were regarded as government critics.
Among the signatories were academics from institutions such as Beheshti University in Tehran, Isfahan University, and Shiraz University. The professors called on the government to release a list of reinstated academics, challenging Pezeshkian’s recent claim that many had returned to their posts.
Negar Zeilabi, a history professor at Beheshti University, shared on social media that despite court rulings in her favor, university officials have refused to reinstate her due to external pressure, referring to security agencies. She described the inaction as emblematic of broader failures to uphold justice for academics.
The protests reflect deeper dissatisfaction with systemic mismanagement and unfulfilled commitments across various sectors. Retired teachers face financial insecurity, students are burdened by rising costs, and professors contend with institutional inertia and political interference.
The Deputy Coordinator for Urban Affairs of Tehran Province announced Saturday that kindergartens, preschools, and special education institutions would remain closed on Sunday, with elementary school classes shifting online for the day.
“Given the ongoing air pollution, educational activities...will be suspended,” the official said, adding that such actions aim to reduce exposure to the harmful effects of polluted air. Additionally, government offices may face closures or reduced working hours if air quality deteriorates further, pending approval from the Ministry of Interior.
Traffic restrictions are being tightened to curb pollution. Firooz Kashir, Social Deputy of Tehran's Traffic Police, announced a 48-hour ban on diesel trucks in the capital.
He also added that targeting vehicles operating without technical inspections remains a police priority.
Football matches across Tehran Province, including youth and adult categories, were canceled for Sunday to protect players and coaches. Authorities cited the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular harm caused by the capital’s hazardous air quality as the primary reason for the cancellations.
The Health and Climate Change Department of the Ministry of Health reported in January that 14% of natural deaths in Iran are linked to air pollution. The use of mazut, a low-grade fuel oil commonly burned in power plants and industries, significantly worsens the crisis. High levels of particulate matter released from mazut combustion exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, placing further strain on public health systems.
Air pollution in Iran stems from systemic neglect and mismanagement of the electric grid and natural gas production that necessitate burning highly pollutant fuels. Tehran, in particular, faces pollution challenges due to overpopulation, poor urban planning, and outdated infrastructure.
Aging vehicles, insufficient public transportation, and weak enforcement of vehicle inspection laws contribute heavily to the crisis. Industrial reliance on low-quality fossil fuels further compounds the problem, as does the government’s inability to modernize systems or invest in cleaner technologies.
While officials often blame citizens for overusing private vehicles, analysts point to government policies as the root cause. Subsidized energy prices encourage overconsumption, and industrial practices remain outdated and poorly regulated. Urban sprawl and deforestation exacerbate dust storms, further degrading air quality. By shifting blame to the public, the government diverts attention from its failure to implement effective policies or enforce environmental regulations.
As Tehran continues to grapple with hazardous air pollution, short-term measures like school closures and vehicle restrictions provide only temporary relief. Without a strategic shift toward sustainable practices and modernized infrastructure, Tehran's residents are likely to face recurring health and environmental challenges.
Addressing students at Tehran's Sharif University of Technology on Saturday, Pezeshkian warned of a challenging winter ahead unless energy consumption is curtailed.
“We are facing serious challenges today,” Pezeshkian said, comparing the nation’s difficulties to a patient requiring an accurate diagnosis for effective treatment. He called for collective action to tackle Iran’s resource crisis, lamenting, “Whenever we try to make changes, people oppose it. Where should we begin?”
His remarks follow growing outrage over the government’s decision to allocate tens of millions of dollars in aid to mostly Shia Lebanese families affected by war.
The public discontent intensified after Hezbollah’s leader, Naeem Qassem, revealed last week that Iran funded most of a $77 million aid package to support nearly a quarter of a million families in Lebanon. In a televised address, Qassem expressed gratitude, stating, “We thank the Islamic Republic of Iran...for providing this generous support.”
Public reaction to foreign aid
People voiced their anger anonymously through messages sent to Iran International, warning of popular backlash.
“Mr. Pezeshkian, you say there’s no money and prices go up every day, so where does the money you send to Lebanon come from?” one viewer asked.
Another citizen criticized the government, saying, “The corrupt Islamic Republic regime fulfills the demands of all countries except the needs of its own people.”
A user on X from Iran also echoed these sentiments: “They spend the people’s money on Hezbollah instead of addressing the needs of impoverished Iranians or preserving Iran’s environment. For the clerics, the lack of heating for children in schools is not a concern. The absence of drinking water for citizens does not matter, but Hezbollah remains their priority.”
Economic woes deepen as winter nears
Iran’s looming energy crisis is compounded by an annual subsidy burden of tens of billions of dollars, according to Pezeshkian. “If we cannot control gas and energy consumption, we won’t be able to supply households with gas this winter,” he cautioned.
Gasoline imports also remain a key financial strain. In a televised address on Monday, Pezeshkian warned that without parliamentary action to allocate foreign currency for imports, gasoline prices would inevitably rise, potentially worsening inflation and fueling public dissatisfaction. He described this challenge as part of a broader energy shortage that urgently requires resolution.
Some commentators in Iranian media warn that raising gasoline prices or cutting subsidies could reignite unrest similar to the protests in 2019 following fuel price hikes. Within parliament, divisions persist, with some lawmakers cautioning that such measures could destabilize an already fragile political climate.
As winter approaches, Pezeshkian’s call for reforms underscores the tough decisions Iran must face; however, people continue to question why, despite claims of shortages and insufficient funds, substantial aid is still sent to Iran’s proxy groups in the region.
Ali Larijani, the senior Iranian politician who visited Syria last month as Khamenei's special envoy, travelled to Damascus and met Assad to express Tehran's full support for him, according to Iranian MP Yaghoub Rezazadeh and the state-run Al-Alam TV.
The meeting was held as rebels have captured several cities in the country's north, east and south including Homs, Hama, Aleppo, Deraa, and Deir ez-Zor. Opposition activists and a rebel commander said on Saturday that the armed rebels have reached the suburbs of Damascus
The insurgents were active in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya, said Rami Abdurrahman, the head of UK-based war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Biden administration officials, watching the astonishing speed of the Syrian rebels' advance, increasingly see the possibility of Assad's government falling within days, CNN reported Saturday citing five US officials.
The advances come amid signs of reduced support for Assad from his key allies. Iranian-backed forces and the Syrian army have reportedly withdrawn from several positions, and there is little indication that Tehran is prepared to commit substantial forces to defend Assad.
Iran began to evacuate its military commanders and personnel including senior Quds Force commanders from Syria on Friday, New York Times reported, citing regional officials and three Iranian officials.
While the Syrian government insists that Assad is still in Damascus, CNN reported on Saturday that the Syrian president is not at any of the locations in Damascus where he is expected to be. "Assad’s Presidential Guard are no longer deployed at his usual place of residence, as they would be if he was there," the report said, citing informed sources.
Overture to Trump at the eleventh hour
Syria's longtime ruler is making a last-ditch attempt to remain in power, including indirect diplomatic overtures to the US and President-elect Donald Trump, Bloomberg reported on Saturday, citing people with direct knowledge of the situation.
He has told the US via the United Arab Emirates that he is ready to cut all involvement with Iran-backed militant groups, such as Hezbollah, should Western powers wield influence to stem the fighting.
In another initiative, Assad has dispatched a senior Christian leader to meet Hungarian President Viktor Orban, an ally of Trump, to relay what he sees as an existential threat to Syria’s Christian minority if Islamist rebels prevail.
"The intention was that Orban, a Trump ally, would convey this danger to the incoming US president," the Bloomberg report said, citing sources.
Earlier in the day, Trump said the US should not get involved in the conflict in Syria, as it is not the US' fight.
"Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social account.
