Protests over Iran's soaring cost of living spread to several universities on Tuesday, with students joining shopkeepers ⁠and bazaar merchants, semi-official media reported, as the government offered dialogue with demonstrators. Iran's rial currency has lost nearly half its value against the dollar in 2025, with inflation reaching 42.5% in December in a country where unrest has repeatedly flared in recent years and which is facing U.S. sanctions and threats of Israeli strikes. Analysis by Philip Turle, FRANCE 24 International Affairs Editor.