Tehran, Iran – Iranian authorities have shut down some private businesses after deadly nationwide protests last month, even as the country’s economy struggles. A serious blow to people and businesses The government’s diplomatic path with the United States has been bumpy.

Neither police nor judicial authorities gave details as to why the businesses, most of which are popular hangouts among young Iranians in central and northern Tehran, were closed.

But many businesses either observed the walkouts or expressed support online in the form of Instagram Stories for the nationwide protests that began in late December.

Police authorities responsible for monitoring public spaces have closed dozens of small and medium-sized businesses in recent days, including restaurants, cafes and bakeries, art galleries and ice cream parlors.

A notice posted on the social media page of the shuttered business said its content was found to have “violated state regulations and failed to comply with police regulations.”

On Monday, the Fars news agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, published an image of a confession letter purportedly signed by private businessman Mohammad Ali Sardiniya.

The 81-year-old and his family run a popular chain of cafes and food brands with dozens of branches across the country.

The justice department confirmed last week that he had been jailed and all his businesses closed following the protests, and All his assets were confiscated to compensate for losses caused during the riots.

“Unfortunately, due to recent market issues and factory financing issues, my son mistakenly announced the closure of our store in conjunction with the Tehran Bazaar,” the plea letter reads.

“He and I myself now fully understand our mistake and apologize to our dear people because if something goes wrong we must remain vigilant so that it is not misused by the enemies of Iran and Islam.”

The Iranian government said 3,117 people were killed during the unrest and accused “terrorists” and “rioters” armed and funded by the United States and Israel of being behind the killings and destruction of public property, including homes and businesses.

The United Nations and international rights groups say they have documented widespread use of lethal force against protesters, including children. They also raised the alarm about attacks on hospitals and arrests of medical staff.

Latest data from the United States human rights activist news agency A further 6,964 people have died and 11,730 cases are under investigation. U.N. special rapporteur on Iran Mai Sato said more than 20,000 civilians may have been killed because information remains limited due to the country’s strict filtering of the Internet.

economic turmoil

More than a month after the killings, Iran’s economy is increasingly under pressure amid lingering concerns about a war with the United States.

The national currency, the rial, was trading at around $1.62 million to the dollar on Tuesday, hovering close to a record low hit last month.

In Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, nearly all shops were open and some activities resumed out of necessity, but not to levels that had been severely reduced before the protests.

“After several weeks of very low sales, our sales now are about 60% higher than before, and at that time we were also dealing in equipment needed by different industries,” said a businessman at the market selling electric motors mostly imported from China.

“Transactions are done in cash on the same day as much as possible. There is no interest in using checks even for one to two months,” he told Al Jazeera.

Shops around the Jomhouri business district in the city center near where the protests took place were also open. Originally initiated by the shop owner On December 28, against the free fall in the value of the national currency. But there remains a heavy security presence in the area, which sometimes sets up checkpoints and patrols the streets.

The reformist Shargh newspaper reported on Monday that many parents questioned whether schools, which were closed by authorities along with universities during the unrest, were now safe places to send their children. Their indecision has left many classrooms nearly empty.

Plans to celebrate the 1979 revolution

The theocratic body is planning events across the country on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of the 1979 revolution that ousted Iran’s last king, the U.S.-backed Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Iranians in a speech on Monday to “disappoint the enemy” by participating in state-organized rallies and demonstrations, which he said were “unparalleled” in the world.

President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials also addressed state media and asked people to attend the rally.

The plea signed by Sardinha also said the businessman and his son would attend the rally to express “hatred for a criminal America.”

Earlier this week, Iranian authorities also Arrest of reformist leaders He called for change in the wake of the government’s deadly crackdown on protests. They are all accused of working “for the benefit of Israel and the United States” and join tens of thousands of people arrested since last month.

Iran and the United States held indirect talks brokered by Oman on Friday but continued to threaten each other as the United States built warships and air defense systems in the region.

iranian security chief Ali Larijani with Omani leaders in Muscat Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in the United States on Tuesday to urge Trump to support Israel’s claims and demands against Iran on nuclear and ballistic missile issues.

Israeli media reported that Trump asked that the meeting be held off camera, a sign of the current divisions between Washington and Tehran as it pursues diplomatic ties.