Iran clashes spread beyond capital in fourth day of protests
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A screenshot from an online video said to show protesters storming the governor’s office in Fasa, in south-central Iran.
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- Iranians protest for four days due to worsening economic conditions and rising food prices amidst high inflation of over 40% in December.
- Protests escalated in Fasa, with demonstrators storming the governor's office, resulting in clashes and reported injuries to police officers.
- Despite President Pezeshkian's promises, unrest continues, coinciding with renewed US and Israeli threats against Iran.
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DUBAI - Iranians staged protests against worsening economic and living standards for a fourth day, with clashes between security forces and civilians erupting in cities across the Islamic Republic.
Demonstrators took to the streets of Tehran and outside the capital on Dec 31, extending unrest that began after the national currency plunged to historic lows on Dec 28.
That has triggered a rise in food prices, with inflation hitting more than 40 per cent in December, exacerbated by strict international sanctions.
Fasa, a city of about 150,000 people in south-central Iran, emerged as a focal point.
Protesters stormed the governor’s office, setting fires and throwing rocks, according to footage published by the state-affiliated Nour News.
Additional videos on social media showed security forces firing shots and referenced casualties.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency denied anyone had died and reported that three police officers were injured in the clashes.
The unrest continued even after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian moved to appease protesters on Dec 30, pledging to revise planned tax increases and calling demands for change “legitimate.”
While the country is notoriously authoritarian, it has a history of nationwide protest movements – most recently in 2019 and 2022.
In Tehran, social media footage on Dec 31 depicted closed shops and gatherings around the Grand Bazaar, where the first wave of protests began at the weekend, despite a heavy security presence.
Videos said to be from the night of Dec 30 appeared to show masked riot police moving through market areas and using batons to force shop closures and disperse crowds.
The Tehran-based Shargh newspaper reported that at least four students were detained on Dec 30 during protests at the University of Tehran.
The paper also said a political reporter for the reformist newspaper Etemad was arrested while covering Dec 29 protests in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and released on Dec 31.
The unrest comes amid renewed US and Israeli threats against Iran.
US President Donald Trump on Dec 29 warned of potential strikes after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing concerns that Tehran is rebuilding its nuclear programme and expanding its ballistic missile capabilities following joint US-Israeli attacks in June.
Iran’s foreign minister fired back at Mr Trump’s rhetoric in a letter released on Dec 31.
Mr Abbas Araghchi warned of “dangerous consequences” and said Tehran “would not hesitate to deliver a firm and regret-inducing response to any act of aggression.” BLOOMBERG
