Several killed as Iran’s economic protests turn deadly; clashes reported across multiple provinces
At least several people were killed in Iran as protests over a plunging currency and soaring prices escalated into violent confrontations with security forces in multiple cities, according to Iranian media, activist groups and local authorities.
- Advertisement -
The semi-official Fars news agency said three protesters were killed and 17 were injured Thursday after demonstrators stormed a police station in Lorestan province around 6 p.m. local time, clashing with officers and setting several police vehicles ablaze. Separately, deaths were reported in Lordegan, Kuhdasht and Isfahan as unrest spread beyond the initial merchant-led strikes that began Sunday. The reports could not be independently verified.
Fars said two people were killed in Lordegan, in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, during clashes between security forces and what it described as armed protesters. Activist group Hengaw said several people were killed and wounded there by security forces. Authorities confirmed one death in Kuhdasht, in western Lorestan, while Hengaw reported another death Wednesday in central Isfahan province.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said a member of the Basij volunteer paramilitary force was killed in Kuhdasht and 13 others were wounded, accusing demonstrators of exploiting the protests. Hengaw identified the deceased as Amirhossam Khodayari Fard and said he had been protesting when he was killed by security forces.
Thursday marked the most violent day yet in the largest anti-government demonstrations in three years, sparked by a rapid slide in the Iranian rial and official inflation that reached 42.5% in December. Shopkeepers and traders have shuttered bazaars in several cities, and student groups have joined the protests. The government closed much of the country Wednesday by declaring a holiday due to cold weather, a move that coincided with widening unrest.
Protests were reported Thursday in Marvdasht in southern Fars province, according to HRANA, an activist news site. Hengaw said demonstrators were detained Wednesday across the western provinces of Kermanshah, Khuzestan and Hamedan.
In an attempt to ease tensions, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said authorities would open direct talks with representatives of trade unions and merchants, without providing details. The outreach comes alongside a familiar security response: the Basij, a force loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and affiliated with the IRGC, has been deployed in multiple cities as authorities move to quash unrest.
The demonstrations underscore a critical moment for Iran’s clerical leadership, which is contending with the cumulative impact of Western sanctions, years of sluggish growth, and the fallout from regional conflict. The rial lost roughly half its value against the dollar in 2025, eroding purchasing power and fueling anger over living costs. Regional tensions peaked in June with a 12-day air war with Israel and U.S. strikes targeting elements of Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure and military leadership, further straining the economy.
Authorities have in recent years suppressed protests over high prices, droughts, women’s rights and political freedoms with mass arrests and force. The current wave began with economic grievances but has broadened into wider displays of dissent in provincial towns and industrial hubs, where closures of key markets amplify pressure on the government.
Key developments reported Thursday:
- Lorestan: Fars reported three protesters killed and 17 injured during an attack on a police station; one Basij member killed in Kuhdasht and 13 wounded, according to the IRGC.
- Lordegan: Conflicting reports on casualties; Fars cited two deaths in clashes, while Hengaw said several were killed and wounded by security forces.
- Isfahan: Hengaw reported one protester shot dead on Wednesday.
- Fars province: HRANA reported fresh protests in Marvdasht.
- Western provinces: Hengaw reported detentions in Kermanshah, Khuzestan and Hamedan.
With bazaars shuttered and arrests mounting, it remains unclear whether the government’s offer of dialogue can blunt the momentum of protests driven by economic hardship. Thursday’s fatalities, disputed as they are, point to a volatile standoff between authorities intent on restoring control and demonstrators demanding relief from a crisis that has steadily deepened.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
