On December 28, Tehran's merchants organized a protest in Jomhouri Street against the rapidly rising dollar exchange rate and the tumultuous economic situation. Videos from the scene show a significant gathering and strikes among the business community.

Simultaneously, a shortage of foreign currency is crippling vegetable oil production in Iran. The secretary of the Vegetable Oil Industries Association warned of potential factory closures, stressing the need for immediate resolutions regarding currency allocations.

Alireza Sharifi stated that many oil factories are either shut down or on the verge of closing due to severe shortages of raw oil, which stem from unprecedented delays in currency payments. The overall instability in the basic goods market has been attributed to currency issues, with vegetable oil emerging as a particularly challenging item, risking serious implications for the food and confectionery industries if the situation persists.