Iran unrest: Three killed as protests spread; economic pressure fuels chants against theocracy

At least three people have died in the first reported fatalities after protests driven by Iran’s worsening economic conditions spread Thursday into rural provinces, said authorities.The unrest marks the largest wave of protests in Iran since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. However, the current protests have not yet become countrywide and have been less intense than those sparked by Amini’s death, which followed her detention over not wearing her hijab to the satisfaction of authorities.

While demonstrations have slowed in Tehran, they have expanded to other parts of the country.

The deaths — one on Wednesday and two on Thursday — occurred in two cities largely inhabited by Iran’s Lur ethnic group. The fatalities may indicate the start of a heavier-handed response by Iran’s theocracy.In Lordegan, a city in Iran’s Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, online videos showed demonstrators gathered in the street as gunfire could be heard. The footage matched known features of the city, located about 470 kilometers (290 miles) south of Tehran.

The semiofficial Fars news agency, citing an anonymous official, reported that two people were killed during protests there on Thursday. The Washington-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran also said two demonstrators were killed in Lordegan and shared a still image of what appeared to be an Iranian police officer wearing body armor and carrying a shotgun. Iran’s government media did not immediately report on the violence in the city.Separately, a demonstration Wednesday night resulted in the death of a 21-year-old volunteer with the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard’s Basij force. State-run IRNA reported the Guard member’s death without providing details. The Student News Network, believed to be close to the Basij, blamed demonstrators, citing comments from Saeed Pourali, a deputy governor in Lorestan province.The Guard member “was martyred ... at the hands of rioters during protests in this city in defense of public order,” Pourali reportedly said.

He added that 13 Basij members and police officers were injured.“The protests that have occurred are due to economic pressures, inflation and currency fluctuations, and are an expression of livelihood concerns," Pourali said. "The voices of citizens must be heard carefully and tactfully, but people must not allow their demands to be strained by profit-seeking individuals.”The protest took place in the city of Kouhdasht, more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) southwest of Tehran.

Local prosecutor Kazem Nazari said 20 people were arrested and that calm had returned to the city, according to the judiciary’s Mizan news agency.Iran’s civilian government, led by reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, has sought to signal a willingness to engage with protesters. However, Pezeshkian has acknowledged he has limited options as the national currency continues to slide, with $1 now costing about 1.4 million rials.State television separately reported the arrest of seven people, including five it described as monarchists and two allegedly linked to European-based groups. It also said security forces seized 100 smuggled pistols during another operation, without providing further details.Authorities declared Wednesday a public holiday across much of the country, officially citing cold weather. The move appeared aimed at drawing people out of Tehran ahead of a long weekend.

Iran’s weekend falls on Thursday and Friday, while Saturday marks Imam Ali’s birthday, another holiday for many.Though rooted in economic hardship, the protests have also included chants against Iran’s theocratic system. The unrest comes as the country’s leaders are still dealing with the aftermath of a 12-day war launched by Israel in June, during which the United States bombed Iranian nuclear sites.Iran has said it is no longer enriching uranium at any location in the country, signaling openness to negotiations with Western powers in hopes of easing sanctions. However, talks have yet to begin, as US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have warned Iran against rebuilding its nuclear program.