Iran on edge as protests turn deadly over hardship
The country is facing its biggest protests in three years as soaring inflation fuels anger, with violence spreading and deaths reported across multiple regions amid deepening economic distress.
Iran entered the New Year gripped by fear and fury as near-week-long protests against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei escalated into deadly violence across multiple regions. What began as expressions of economic frustration has hardened into open defiance of the country’s clerical leadership, leaving several protesters and at least seven people dead, according to reports from Iranian media and rights groups cited by the Associated Press.
As the calendar turned, demonstrations spread beyond major cities into rural and provincial areas, signalling a widening crisis. Streets in western, central and southern Iran became flashpoints as security forces confronted crowds angered by soaring prices, a collapsing currency and years of economic hardship. The clashes underscored how deeply unrest has penetrated Iranian society, cutting across geography and class.
Earlier in the week, university students led protests in Tehran, reviving chants that have become synonymous with dissent in the Islamic Republic. For authorities, the symbolism was especially provocative, recalling a past the current leadership has long sought to bury.
“I am with you. Victory is ours because our cause is just and because we are united,” he wrote, words that quickly circulated among protesters and drew sharp attention from state media.
Reports of fatalities emerged from several regions, highlighting the unrest’s spread. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated Fars news agency and Kurdish rights group Hengaw both reported deaths in Lordegan, a city in western Iran. Authorities also confirmed at least one death in Kuhdasht and another in Isfahan province. Together, the accounts painted a picture of intensifying confrontations between demonstrators and security forces.
Fars said two people were killed in Lordegan during clashes involving security services and what it described as armed protesters. Hengaw, however, alleged that several people were killed or wounded there by security forces, offering a starkly different narrative. As is often the case during Iranian unrest, conflicting accounts have made independent verification difficult.
The Revolutionary Guards announced that a member of their affiliated Basij volunteer paramilitary force was killed in Kuhdasht, with 13 others wounded. The Guards accused demonstrators of “taking advantage of the atmosphere of popular protests” to incite violence. Hengaw identified the deceased Basij member as Amirhossam Khodayari Fard, claiming he had been protesting and was killed by security forces — an assertion that directly contradicts the official version. Hengaw also reported that a protester was shot dead in Isfahan province, though Reuters said it could not independently verify these claims.
Detentions were recorded in Kermanshah, Khuzestan and Hamedan provinces, adding to growing concerns about mass arrests as authorities attempt to contain the unrest.
The timing of the protests is especially fraught for Iran’s leadership. Western sanctions have battered the economy, pushing inflation to 42.5 percent in December and eroding purchasing power for ordinary citizens. Compounding the strain, Israeli and US airstrikes in June reportedly damaged Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and weakened parts of its military leadership. For many Iranians, the protests are no longer just about prices — they are about dignity, survival and a future that feels increasingly out of reach.