Members of parliament have accused both the government and the public of contributing to the economic collapse that triggered the unrest. Speaking at a meeting with officials and academics on Tuesday, January 6, Pezeshkian acknowledged that responsibility for the current situation was shared. In his only intervention on protest so far, Khamenei appeared to urge authorities to tighten the control. Infighting unabatedSimilar claims were echoed by Esmail Kowsari, a Tehran lawmaker, IRGC officer and member of parliament’s national security committee. Kowsari also criticized the government for “leaving the markets uncontrolled” and suggested parliament should summon the president to explain the situation.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 08, 2026 13:40 UTC