Iran Arrests 16 in Currency Crisis

Accused of contributing to massive fluctuations

Iran arrested 16 people Thursday, accusing them of contributing to the currency crisis plaguing the country that has triggered protests in the streets.

Those arrested "were the main players in the recent fluctuations in the foreign currency market," the Tehran Judiciary said in a statement.

The move came a day after riot police worked to disperse protests in the capital's main bazaar and nearby streets. Demonstrators chanted slogans opposing firebrand President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and decrying the skyrocketing cost of basic goods.