Economic crisis, mass protests, Trump threat: Can Iran go the Venezuela way?

Sanctions-hit Iran is struggling to contain a massive anti-government protest, the biggest since 2022, sparked by economic turmoil linked to a sharp decline in the value of the national currency, the rial, against the US dollar. This financial crisis is compounded by skyrocketing prices, shortages, and a dramatic erosion of purchasing power for ordinary Iranians.
The ongoing demonstrations mark a shift from the previous mass protests, especially the one in 2022, which was fuelled by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. She was detained for not wearing her hijab, or headscarf.