Protests have rocked the Islamic Republic of Iran with increasing frequency for the past quarter-century, but the closure of the Tehran bazaar on Dec. 28, 2025, was different. The market in central Tehran traditionally represents the financial lungs of the Iranian economy. It is not a tourist market as are the souks in Cairo, Jerusalem, or Istanbul, but rather a dense labyrinth of shops and stalls spread out over more than 6 miles of streets and alleys. Outside a few sanitized areas where foreign tourists visit, the dense area is characterized by tin roofs, crumbling brick, and gerrymandered wiring.