A wave of nationwide protests has gripped Iran for five consecutive days, leaving several people dead amid escalating clashes, Reuters reported citing Iranian media.
Demonstrators took to the streets across several Iranian cities, protesting over the country’s economic woes and currency collapse.
Unrest across Iran
Protests began on Sunday, after shopkeepers and merchants in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar demonstrated against the government‘s handling of a currency slide against US dollar and rapidly rising prices, sparking the largest protests in three years.
The rallies spread rapidly across several Iranian cities, including Isfahan, Hamadan, Babol, Dehloran, Baghmalek and Pian, reported Iran International. Protesters chanted slogans against the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Reports of Violence
The recent protests in Iran mark the largest since the 2022 uprising, triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian woman who died in custody.
The current protests have seen rising violence amid reports of clashes between protesters and security services. According to the Fars News Agency, at least two civilians were killed in the city of Lordegan during confrontations, where protesters reportedly threw stones at government buildings, prompting police to deploy tear gas.
Additionally, the state-run IRNA news agency confirmed the death of a 21-year-old volunteer from the Basij – a paramilitary force linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) – in the city of Kouhdasht, marking the first officially reported fatality among security forces since this wave of economic unrest began. Meanwhile, the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported the arrest of at least 20 protesters in the same city.
Government’s Response
In response to the escalating unrest, the Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, acknowledged the “legitimate demands” of the protesters, emphasizing that the livelihood of Iranian people is his “daily concern.”
“I have instructed the Interior Minister to listen to the legitimate demands of the protesters by engaging in dialogue with their representatives so that the government can do everything in its power to resolve the problems and act responsibly,” he posted on X on Tuesday.
Speaking at the 65th general assembly of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) on Wednesday, Pezeshkian called for unity in the face of economic pressure from what he described as Tehran’s “enemies.”
He also cited “external pressures” exerted on Iran, warning that internal divisions could exacerbate existing strains, according to IRNA.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Prosecutor General, Mohammad Movahedi-Azad, warned that any attempt to create instability would be met with a “decisive and legal response.”
In an apparent attempt to quell the unrest, the government shut down much of the country on Wednesday by declaring a holiday due to cold weather.
Furthermore, the government spokesperson, Fatemeh Mohajerani, said on Thursday that the authorities would hold a direct dialogue with representatives of trades unions and merchants, without elaborating.
Iran’s Economic Situation
The protests come at a critical timing for Iran as the country grapples with an unprecedented economic crisis compounded by years of US and Western sanctions and the fallout from the recent 12-day war with Israel in June 2025.
Moreover, inflation soared to 42.5% in December, while the Iranian rial lost nearly half of its value against the US dollar, falling to a record low of 1.45 million against the US dollar. The crisis is further exacerbated by other systemic issues, such as high prices, droughts, and poor infrastructure.
