[custom_adv] The persian central bank's top foreign exchange official has been arrested, according to a judiciary spokesperson, as tensions rise in advance of the imminent return of sanctions by the United States. [custom_adv] Ahmad Araghchi, who was a vice-governor at the bank in charge of forex, was arrested along with several other unnamed individuals, including a government clerk and four currency brokers, state broadcaster IRIB cited spokesperson Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejeie as saying on Sunday. [custom_adv] The arrests come as persians brace for the reimposition of US sanctions on Tuesday, following Washington's withdrawal from a multinational nuclear deal with homeland. [custom_adv] Meanwhile, news of protests continues to filter in from around the country, driven by concerns over water shortages, the economy and wider anger at the political system. [custom_adv] Journalists reported a heavy build-up of riot police on Sunday night, including at least one armoured personnel carrier, in the town of Karaj, just west of capital. [custom_adv] State media said protesters attacked and tried to burn down a seminary in the area on Friday night, and that at least one person was killed, allegedly by demonstrators. [custom_adv] There have been days of sporadic protests, including in key cities such as Isfahan, Mashhad and Shiraz - but severe reporting restrictions have made it impossible to verify social media footage and official accounts. [custom_adv] The government of President Hassan Rouhani has also faced heavy criticism from conservative opponents, who have demanded action on corruption and renewed efforts to rescue the economy. [custom_adv] On Sunday, his cabinet announced it was easing foreign exchange rules, undoing a disastrous attempt to fix the value of the rial in April. [custom_adv] The April decision - combined with fears over US sanctions - fuelled a run on the currency that saw it lose more than half its value. [custom_adv] On Saturday, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Nouri-Hamedani, one of the country's top religious figures, said "economic corruptors" must face justice. [custom_adv] "People are upset when they hear that someone has embezzled billions while other people are living in tough conditions," he said in a speech, according to the conservative Tasnim news agency.
