Iran Protests: Death Toll Rises to 36+ | News Now

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tehran – January 6, 2025 – At least 36 people have been killed in Iran during 10 days of escalating protests, according to a human rights group, signaling a deepening crisis for the Islamic Republic. The unrest, initially sparked by economic woes, is quickly becoming a direct challenge to the country’s clerical rulers.

Economic Grievances Fuel Widespread Unrest

A collapsing currency and soaring inflation are driving Iranians to the streets.

• At least 36 protesters and two security personnel have been confirmed dead.
• The protests began December 28th, fueled by the plummeting value of the Iranian rial.
• Security forces have used tear gas and, according to Amnesty International, shotguns against protesters.
• The unrest is spreading, now affecting 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces.

What’s happening in Iran right now? Protests, ignited by a failing economy, have spread across the country, met with a forceful response from security forces and resulting in a growing death toll.

The foreign-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that 34 of the confirmed fatalities were protesters, while two were affiliated with security forces. Iranian authorities have acknowledged three deaths among security personnel, a figure considerably lower than reported by independent groups. BBC Persian has independently verified the deaths and identities of 20 individuals.

More than 60 protesters have been injured, and over 2,076 have been arrested as the demonstrations spread to 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces. The initial spark was a sharp decline in the value of the Iranian rial against the US dollar on December 28th, prompting shopkeepers in the capital to protest.

The rial has experienced a record low over the past year, and inflation has surged to 40%, squeezing an economy already weakened by sanctions, mismanagement, and corruption.

Clashes in Tehran and Ilam Province

On Tuesday evening, semi-official Iranian media reported that a police officer was shot and killed in Malekshahi, in the western province of Ilam, a region experiencing particularly violent clashes between protesters and security forces. Earlier in the day, footage emerged showing security forces firing tear gas at protesters chanting slogans against Iran’s clerical rulers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar.

Videos obtained by BBC Persian from Tuesday’s protest in the Grand bazaar showed a large crowd chanting “Death to the dictator”-a direct referenc