The New York Times, July 8, 2010
Widespread strikes continued for a third day on Thursday at Tehran’s central bazaar, according to Iranian news sites, as merchants protested a proposed tax increase on their earnings. One merchant was arrested, the Jaras Web site reported, and some opposition Web sites reported that a merchant had been killed in a clash with the police. The merchants were angered by rumors of a 70 percent tax increase, but a government spokesman said Tuesday that this figure was a mistake and that the proposal was for a 30 percent increase.
