Iran confirms first death as protests over living costs spread
“Iran has confirmed a security-force fatality during protests that began in Tehran over economic pressure and later spread to other cities.”
Key points
- Iran has confirmed a security-force fatality during protests that began in Tehran over economic pressure and later spread to other cities.
- Officials reported multiple injuries among police and Basij members as the government faces renewed calls to address living costs.
Iranian state media reported that a member of the security forces was killed during demonstrations that began last week, marking the first officially confirmed death linked to the unrest.
A regional official in Lorestan Province said a 21-year-old member of the Basij — a volunteer paramilitary force associated with the Revolutionary Guards — died on Wednesday night in the city of Kouhdasht while, authorities said, attempting to maintain public order. The same official reported that 13 police officers and Basij members were injured after being targeted with stones during the protests.
The demonstrations initially started in Tehran as shopkeepers staged strikes and public gatherings over rising living costs and economic stagnation. The unrest later expanded to other cities, with students from at least 10 universities also joining in.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian urged the government to take steps to improve economic conditions, warning that failure to address livelihoods would have serious consequences. Separately, authorities declared a last-minute bank holiday during an extended weekend, citing energy-saving needs amid cold weather, without publicly linking the decision to the protests.
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