At least six people have been killed as demonstrations against soaring living costs widened across Iran, according to Iranian media and officials.
The deadliest incident was reported in the city of Azna, in Lorestan province, where clashes during protests left at least three people dead and 17 others injured, the semiofficial Fars News Agency said on Thursday. Azna lies about 300 kilometres southwest of Tehran.
Videos circulating online from the area appeared to show fires burning in the streets and the sound of gunfire as protesters chanted slogans accusing officials of being “shameless”.
Earlier reports said two people were killed during demonstrations in Lordegan, a city in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, around 470 kilometres south of the capital. According to Fars, some protesters threw stones at government buildings, banks and a mosque, prompting police to respond with tear gas.
State television also reported that a member of the security forces was killed overnight in the western city of Kouhdasht. Officials said the 21-year-old belonged to the Basij, a paramilitary force linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The unrest follows a wave of anger over a sharp fall in Iran’s currency and rapidly rising prices. Shopkeepers began protesting earlier this week, with demonstrations later spreading to Tehran and other major cities. Students from at least 10 universities joined the protests on Tuesday, giving the movement fresh momentum.
Iran’s economy has been under severe strain, with inflation hovering around 40 percent amid long-standing Western sanctions. Tensions have been further heightened after recent air strikes by Israel and the United States targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities and senior military figures.
President Masoud Pezeshkian has attempted to defuse the situation by acknowledging protesters’ grievances. Speaking on state television, he said people’s demands over livelihoods were legitimate and urged the government to act quickly to ease economic pressure.
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said authorities would hold direct talks with representatives of trade unions and merchants, though no timetable was announced. At the same time, officials warned that any attempt to turn economic protests into violence or sabotage would be met with a firm legal response.
Iran last witnessed mass nationwide demonstrations in 2022 and 2023 following the death of Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for allegedly violating the country’s dress code. While the current protests began peacefully, the growing death toll underscores the volatility of public anger over Iran’s deepening economic crisis.
