TEHRAN: Five people were killed and several others injured during protests in western and southwestern Iran on Thursday, according to local media reports.
The semi-official Fars News Agency, citing an unnamed local official, reported that more than 150 protesters gathered in the Lordegan area of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, chanting anti-government slogans and throwing stones at public buildings.
The report said police intervened after the violence, with some protesters opening fire on security forces, wounding several officers. Two people were killed during the clashes.
Fars said three more people were killed and 17 others injured in Lorestan province when rioters attacked a police headquarters during a protest in Azna city. The outlet reported that attackers used both cold and live weapons and attempted to seize officers’ arms, triggering further violence.
The unrest followed incidents a day earlier in Kuhdasht, also in Lorestan province, where local media said 20 people were arrested. A member of the Basij force, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed during those events.
The protests come amid mounting economic pressure. On December 28, traders in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar demonstrated against the sharp fall of the Iranian rial and worsening living conditions. Those protests later spread to several cities across the nation.
Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said authorities were aware of public anger. “We are watching, listening, and officially acknowledging the protests, crises and challenges,” she said.
President Masoud Pezeshkian has also acknowledged public discontent, saying the government bears responsibility for the economic crisis and warning officials against blaming external actors such as the United States.
