The Iranian government has come under further strain in the wake of the axed nuclear deal, as economic sanctions begin to bite and protests begin to surge once again.

Showing that they still have the clout to unsettle the government, as they did in 1978 when they backed the Islamic Revolution that dethroned the Shah, merchants beneath the vaulted domes of Tehran's Grand Bazaar last week began shutting their stalls in a protest that lasted for three days.

Though no longer the economic centre of Tehran, the sprawling bazaar still resonates with symbolism.

The question now is how long Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian president, will last while he's being pressed by hardliners at home and facing renewed US sanctions abroad.

The hardliners, who have attacked Mr Rouhani since the pragmatist first won elections in 2013, have been blamed for instigating the strike, and have sought to exploit it.

They oppose engagement with the West or rolling back Iran’s interventions in the Middle East.