In a bid to alleviate mounting economic pressures, Iran’s government has unveiled plans to provide its citizens with monthly payments of approximately $7, as reported amidst growing protests nationwide.

This announcement was delivered on Monday by government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani during a broadcast on Iranian State TV, highlighting the government’s efforts to address economic challenges.

Mohajerani stated that the initiative aims to “safeguard household purchasing power, manage inflation, and ensure food security,” according to a report by The New York Times.

The strategy marks a significant policy change, moving away from traditional import subsidies toward providing direct financial support to the populace.

Amidst this backdrop, images released by the Iranian opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, depict protesters clashing with security forces, underscoring the ongoing unrest across the country.

Under the proposal, roughly $10 billion that had been spent each year to subsidize certain imports, will now be given directly to the public.

Eligible Iranians will get one million Iranian tomans, which is around $7, and in the form of credit that can be used to buy goods.

The labor minister said the payments would be handed out to about 80 million people, which is the majority of Iran’s population.

Protesters march in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025.  (Fars News Agency via AP)

Iran’s economy has been hit by sanctions and declining oil revenues which have led to protests.

The currency has lost more than half its value against the U.S. dollar.

The Statistical Center of Iran, a state-run body under Iran’s regime, reported in December that the average annual inflation rate also reached 42.2%, according to reports.

The payments were announced amid widespread protests that included merchants, traders and university students, according to the Times. Marketplaces have been shut down and rallies have been held on campuses.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, pictured sitting next to a senior military official in Iran. (Getty Images)

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI), the intensity of the protests has reached at least 78 cities and 222 locations.

Protesters have been demanding the end of the regime controlled by the 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The group said the regime has killed at least 20 people, including three children, and arrested 990 people. Khamenei’s security forces have detained more than 40 children, HRAI noted.