WANA (Dec 30) – The Iranian government has announced four one-year supportive measures aimed at stabilizing the market environment and assisting economic actors, following recent trade concerns and currency volatility. The move sends a clear signal to guilds and market traders that the government is seeking to ease current pressures.

 

According to an official statement, the measures were adopted through coordination between the government and parliament. They include the suspension of the taxpayers’ electronic system, a halt to the collection of value-added tax from guilds, the suspension of tax penalties, and a pause on new requirements imposed through the National Licensing Portal. The government says this temporary support package will give small businesses and the grassroots economy much-needed breathing room.

 

Speaking at a meeting with representatives of business guilds and market traders, President Masoud Pezeshkian said that the protests were “understandable” and stressed that addressing the problems of shopkeepers and traders was a core responsibility of his administration.

 

He noted that the current government has inherited long-standing economic challenges from previous years, but emphasized that it is seeking solutions through dialogue, unity, and close coordination with parliament.

 

Pezeshkian also underlined the government’s commitment to minimal intervention in the market, while vowing to confront rent-seeking, corruption, and the multi-tier exchange rate system wherever they harm the economy and public interests.

 

These developments came a day after Tehran witnessed a guild-based protest by market traders and shopkeepers. The gathering began around 11:30 a.m. near Hafez Bridge and the Aladdin Shopping Center, before spreading to other commercial areas such as Chaharsou, Lalehzar, Istanbul Square, and parts of Republic Street. Protesters’ main demands centered on sharp currency fluctuations and their direct impact on import costs and commodity prices.

Tehran Faces Protests Amid Sharp Currency Volatility. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Tehran Faces Protests Amid Sharp Currency Volatility. Social media/ WANA News Agency

That same evening, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued his first official response, instructing the Interior Ministry to engage in dialogue with representatives of the market traders. In a message, he wrote: “People’s livelihoods are my daily concern. I have tasked the Interior Minister with listening to the legitimate demands of the protesters through dialogue with their representatives.”

 

This morning, the government spokesperson also struck a conciliatory tone, telling reporters: “We recognize people’s protests and emphasize peaceful gatherings, which are also recognized in the Constitution. All of us must contribute to Iran’s national cohesion.”

 

Analysts say the new decisions by the government and parliament could help reduce short-term financial pressure on guilds and small businesses. However, their success will ultimately depend on stabilizing the foreign exchange market and restoring broader economic confidence—a path that will continue to require trust-building and sustained dialogue with market stakeholders.