A Friday announcement by the government in Tehran that fuel prices will be hiked by as much as 50 percent and the commodity will be rationed sparked protests across the country that have already claimed at least one victim although footage from the protests suggests there may now be more, with some media reporting that as many as 36 may now be dead. It didn’t take long before the fuel protests turned political, either, and security forces were called in to handle the situation. Clashes ensued between the protesters and riot police, Reuters reports , with people setting fire to buildings, blocking roads and setting up street fires in several cities. According to Iranian media, protests have spread to 40 cities already and while state-owned sources are seeking to downplay the seriousness of the events, the escalation may continue. Iranians have been suffering rising unemployment, galloping inflation, and higher […]