Iran unrest deepens as economic protests spread beyond Tehran; at least 7 killed

At least seven people have been reported killed as protests driven by Iran’s ailing economy spread from major cities into rural areas and smaller towns, according to authorities, in what has emerged as the country’s most widespread unrest since 2022.

The demonstrations, triggered by mounting economic distress, inflation and a collapsing currency, have eased in Tehran but intensified across provincial regions, particularly in areas dominated by the Lur community.

While the protests have not matched the scale of the nationwide uprising that followed the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, they have proven more geographically dispersed and increasingly volatile.

The deadliest clashes were reported in Azna, a city in Lorestan province, where online videos showed fires burning in the streets and the sound of gunfire as crowds chanted “Shameless! Shameless!”. The semiofficial Fars news agency reported that three people were killed in the city. Two more deaths were reported in Lordegan, in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, where videos also captured gunfire as demonstrators gathered in the streets.

Officials said one person was killed on December 31 and five others on January 1 across three cities. A Washington-based rights group, however, reported two additional deaths, identifying the victims as protesters and releasing an image showing a police officer wearing body armour and carrying a shotgun.

State media offered only limited coverage of the violence, echoing the constraints faced by journalists during the 2022 protests, when reporting was heavily restricted.

Authorities also confirmed the death of a 21-year-old member of the Basij, a volunteer force linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. An official in Lorestan province said the Guard member “was martyred at the hands of rioters during protests”, adding that 13 other Basij members and police officers were injured.

Defending the government’s position, the official acknowledged that the protests stemmed from economic pressures, including inflation and currency fluctuations. “These are an expression of livelihood concerns,” he said, while cautioning protesters against allowing their demands to be exploited by others.

Security forces said 20 people were arrested in Kouhdasht, after which authorities claimed calm had been restored. State television separately reported the arrest of seven individuals allegedly linked to opposition groups and said about 100 pistols were seized in an unrelated security operation.

The unrest comes as Iran’s economic woes deepen. The national currency has plunged sharply, with the US dollar now trading at around 1.4 million rials, intensifying public anger. President Masoud Pezeshkian has said his government is willing to engage with protesters but acknowledged that its capacity to respond is constrained.

While the demonstrations were initially sparked by economic hardship, chants and slogans in some areas have also reflected broader opposition to Iran’s ruling system, underscoring the volatile mix of economic strain, political dissent and regional tensions gripping the country under continuing sanctions.