Dozens killed in violence around protests in Iran
According to rights groups, at least 25 people died in the first nine days of protests that started in the Tehran market in Iran due to the depreciation of the currency and rising inflation.
Protests have spread to some cities in Iran’s west and south, but they do not match the scale of unrest that has gripped the country in 2022-23 over the death of Mahsa Amini, who died in the custody of Iran’s morality police for allegedly violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code.
However, although smaller, these protests quickly expanded from an economic focus to broader frustrations; some protesters chanted slogans against the country’s religious rulers.
Iran also remains under international pressure; US President Donald Trump threatened on Friday to come to the aid of protesters in Iran if security forces opened fire on them.
In response, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed “not to bow to the enemy.”
Iranian Kurdish rights group Hengaw put the death toll at 25, including four people under the age of 18, and said more than 1,000 people had been arrested.
HRANA, a network of rights defenders, said that as of January 5, at least 29 people, including two law enforcement officers, had been killed, in addition to 1,203 arrests.
Iranian officials did not give a death toll for the protesters, but said at least two security officers were killed and more than a dozen people were injured in the incidents.
“While making a distinction between protesters and rioters, law enforcement attempted to use force against the rioters by arresting them at the scene or later after they were identified by intelligence units,” Iranian police chief Ahmadreza Radan told state media on Tuesday. he said.
“I promise that we will deal with the last of these rebels. It is still time for those deceived by the foreign services to make themselves known and benefit from the greatness of the Islamic Republic.”
HRANA said that slogans during the protests went beyond economic demands and included criticism of the administration and calls for justice.
It was stated that the protests took place in 27 of 31 provinces and spread to smaller cities.
Authorities acknowledged economic difficulties but accused networks linked to foreign powers of “pushing economic protests towards chaos and disorder” and the judiciary chief vowed to show no mercy to “rebels”.
President Masoud Pezeshkian encouraged dialogue and promised reforms to stabilize the monetary and banking systems and preserve purchasing power.
The government announced a subsidy reform that would eliminate preferential exchange rates for importers, making transfers directly to Iranians to increase their purchasing power for basic goods.
The measure will come into force on January 10.
The central bank president was also replaced on December 29.
The rial fell to 1 million 489 thousand 500 on Tuesday, marking a 4 percent decline since the protests began.
