Lebanese protesters continued to riot throughout the country on Friday citing corruption amid a devastated economy; The Lebanese pound has depreciated in value by nearly 70% since October 2019.

As the civil unrest throughout the small Mediterranean country of Lebanon continues, riots and clashes with police forces took place again on Friday evening. Protests are on the rise amid Lebanon’s plummeting economy and controversial government that many citizens cite as corrupt.

Beirut was the heart of the riots, where protestors confronted police forces with fireworks and rocks, forcing the police to respond with tear gas and rubber bullets.

The Lebanese government is highly-influenced and run by Hezbollah – one of Iran’s main terror proxies throughout the Middle East. Iran sees Lebanon as an extension of their regime, but the people of Lebanon want their country back, which means that Iran needs to be out. In fact, the hostility that Lebanon shows towards Israel has a lot to do with Hezbollah, not the blue-collar Lebanese person.

The case is similar with most of the Iranian population. Despite what we often hear, most Iranian’s would love to have a good relationship with the west. It’s the ayatollahs and their oppressive regime that keeps it from being a reality.

Since October of 2019, the Lebanese pound has depreciated in value by 70%. The central bank intends to pump more dollars into the economy on Monday in hopes of changing the tide. Currently, over 50% of the population lives in poverty with upwards of 75% needing some kind of assistance.