Deadly Protests Rock Iran Amid Economic Crisis; 27 Killed in Security Crackdown

Tehran: Iran has been gripped by widespread protests in recent days as a worsening economic crisis and multiple overlapping challenges fuel public anger, with clashes between demonstrators and security forces reportedly leaving at least 27 people dead.

Videos widely shared on social media showed large-scale protests on Tuesday night in Abdanan, a city in the central province of Ilam, which has witnessed repeated demonstrations over the past week. The footage captured thousands of residents — from children accompanied by parents to elderly citizens — marching through the streets and chanting slogans as helicopters hovered overhead.

Protesters appeared to vastly outnumber security personnel deployed to control the unrest. According to Norway-based rights group Iran Human Rights (IHR), at least 27 protesters, including five minors under the age of 18, have been killed by security forces.

Iranian authorities have acknowledged casualties among security personnel as well. State-affiliated media reported that a police officer was shot dead on Tuesday, while confirming that at least three people were killed during the unrest. The reports said the officer died in armed clashes that erupted after funeral processions were held for protesters who had died earlier.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, responding publicly to the unrest for the first time this week, issued a stern warning, saying those he described as rioters must be “put in their place”.

Tensions remain high in surrounding streets and neighbourhoods, where protests initially began on December 28, marked by shopkeepers shutting down businesses in protest. Similar scenes were reported in several major commercial areas of Tehran on Tuesday, including Yaftabad, reflecting mounting anger over economic hardship and the country’s foreign policy priorities.

In Ilam city, the provincial capital, videos showed security forces entering Imam Khomeini Hospital, apparently attempting to identify and arrest injured protesters. Amnesty International condemned the actions, stating that they violate international law and highlight “how far the Iranian authorities are willing to go to crush dissent”.

As unrest intensified, Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi issued his first direct call to action to the public. In a message released during the protests, he urged people to chant simultaneously on Thursday and Friday, January 8 and 9, starting at 8 pm, saying further calls to action would follow based on the response.

The ongoing unrest is being described as the most serious protest movement in Iran since the nationwide demonstrations of 2022–2023, which were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in custody after her arrest for allegedly violating Iran’s strict dress code for women.

With inputs from IANS