However, the article should have also noted that Iran’s economic crisis did not emerge suddenly. The current economic turmoil has been building since 1979 due to decades of UN, EU and US-led sanctions against Iran. The sanctions have affected nearly every aspect of the Iranian economy with the greatest impact on the middle class. Sanctions on Iran have also frozen Iranian assets and targeted trade, arms sales, and sectors such as energy, finance, aviation, shipping, construction, mining, textiles, automotive and manufacturing.
Dear Ms. Stechyson and Mr. Boshra,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) regarding the CBC News article that was posted online on January 12, 2026 – What's happening in Iran? Breaking down the deadly protests shaking the country
Thank you for capturing the scale of the Iranian protests and their potential impact on the current theocracy as well as the possible role of the United States.
Yes, Iran’s 12 day war with Israel and the UN reimposing sanctions in September, 2025 contributed to a drastic rise in inflation and a devaluation of the rial. These factors as your article accurately explains were the primary trigger for the current protests.
However, the article should have also noted that Iran’s economic crisis did not emerge suddenly. The current economic turmoil has been building since 1979 due to decades of UN, EU and US-led sanctions against Iran. The sanctions have affected nearly every aspect of the Iranian economy with the greatest impact on the middle class. Sanctions on Iran have also frozen Iranian assets and targeted trade, arms sales, and sectors such as energy, finance, aviation, shipping, construction, mining, textiles, automotive and manufacturing.
This context and nuance are essential for readers to understand how Western-imposed sanctions and externally driven economic pressures have contributed to the very conditions that led to the protests in the first place.
I look forward to future articles that situate current developments within this broader historical, socioeconomic, and geopolitical context, including the political motivations behind sanctions and military attacks on Iran.
Sincerely,
Debbie Hubbard
Kelowna, British Columbia