Several people have been killed in Iran as cost-of-living protests escalated into deadly clashes, marking the country’s most serious unrest in three years.
The demonstrations, which began on Sunday with shopkeepers and traders in Tehran protesting the sharp decline of the national currency, have since spread to other groups and regions, reaching a violent peak overnight into Thursday.
Iranian media and the Kurdish rights group Hengaw reported confrontations in the western city of Lordegan between security forces and protesters. The semi-official Fars news agency cited a source claiming multiple deaths during clashes with what it described as armed demonstrators.
Hengaw said security forces opened fire on protesters in Lordegan, resulting in several deaths and injuries. Authorities also confirmed one fatality in the western city of Kuhdasht, while Hengaw reported another shooting death in the central province of Isfahan.
The violence highlights a major escalation in protests fueled by soaring inflation, a weakening currency, and worsening economic conditions. Earlier this week, authorities had unusually hinted at the possibility of initiating a “dialogue mechanism” with demonstrators.
What began as demonstrations by shopkeepers has now drawn in university students in Tehran, with reports of protesters attempting to enter a government building on Wednesday.
