Iranians have protested for the fifth consecutive night due to dissatisfaction over the currency's steep decline, with violent clashes erupting between demonstrators and security forces, resulting in two deaths.
The largest protests in Iran in three years entered their fifth night on Thursday, 1 Jan 2025 GMT+7, amid reports of deadly violent confrontations between protesters and security forces. Government-affiliated media confirmed at least two fatalities.
Although government media did not disclose the identities of the deceased, eyewitnesses and videos circulating on social media showed protesters lying motionless on the ground after security forces opened fire.
Furthermore, The Guardian news agency obtained photographs depicting two deceased individuals with apparent gunshot wounds from both pellets and live ammunition. However, the context of these images has not yet been independently verified.
The human rights organization Hengaw, based in Oslo, Norway, reported that one of the deceased was shot with live ammunition and died before reaching medical care. Both deaths reportedly occurred in Lordegan, a city in the southwestern region of the country.
Activists and human rights groups have warned of brutal crackdowns as security forces continue to fire directly at protesters.
An eyewitness told The Guardian, “It feels like a battlefield here, and they are firing mercilessly.”
Videos shared on social media show what appears to be security forces shooting at protesters while crowds flee through smoke-filled streets, with injured individuals being carried away for help.
On Thursday evening, Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian authorities in Tehran arrested 30 people on charges of disturbing public order in the Malard district west of Tehran.
The Iranian rial has plunged to an unprecedented low of 1.42 million rials per US dollar, sparking protests that began Sunday in Tehran and spread nationwide. Protesters have shouted demands for economic justice and the end of the current regime.
Roya Boroumand, director of the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran, stated that the protests are driven by the currency’s sharp decline and its impact on living costs.
“Iranians living below the poverty line are increasing, with no hope for significant improvement,” Boroumand said. “They are angry at mismanagement, government corruption, and policies causing domestic hardship.”
“The state considers any protest against the government illegal, and the law does not allow for truly legal protests. This results in public outbursts followed by violent crackdowns, including lethal force.”
. . .the guardian