Protests Erupt Across Iran as Economic Crisis Deepens, Multiple Deaths Reported

Protests driven by Iran’s deepening economic crisis have spread across multiple provinces in recent days, with several demonstrations turning violent following confrontations between protesters and security forces, according to reports from state-affiliated media cited by CNN.

At least two people were killed early Thursday during clashes between protesters and police in Lordegan county, located in the southwestern province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari. State-linked Fars News Agency confirmed the deaths but did not clarify whether those killed were civilians or members of the security forces.

Authorities claimed that some demonstrators were armed and had fired at police, though no independent evidence was presented to support the allegation. Videos circulating on social media, which could not be independently verified, appeared to show protesters throwing stones at police officers and targeting government buildings in the area.

State media further reported that demonstrators attacked the local governor’s office and several banks, escalating tensions as security forces attempted to regain control.

Violence was also reported on Wednesday night in Kuhdasht, a city in western Lorestan province. One member of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force was killed and at least 13 others were injured after protests there descended into clashes, according to Tasnim News Agency. This marked the first confirmed fatality linked to the latest wave of unrest.

Iranian media broadcast footage showing a police officer receiving medical treatment after reportedly being set on fire during the disturbances. The Basij force, a volunteer paramilitary organization under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is routinely deployed to suppress protests and public unrest.

Local prosecutors in Kuhdasht said that at least 20 people were arrested during the clashes, state media reported.

The protests have drawn participation from shopkeepers, bazaar traders and students in several cities, with demonstrators chanting anti-government slogans and expressing anger over rising prices, unemployment and declining living standards. Public frustration has intensified following the Iranian rial’s plunge to record lows against the US dollar.

Observers say the demonstrations represent the most significant wave of unrest since the nationwide protests of 2022, which erupted after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody. That movement was met with a harsh crackdown by authorities, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests.

While the current protests are primarily driven by economic hardship, analysts warn that sustained inflation, wage stagnation and currency devaluation could fuel broader political dissent in the coming weeks.