Over the past six days, protests have taken place at more than 100 locations nationwide, at least eight demonstrators have lost their lives, and dozens of citizens have been detained.
Protests and strikes that began earlier in the week in the capital Tehran, led by shopkeepers and citizens, reached their sixth day as of Friday, January 2. Despite the heavy presence of security forces in the streets, demonstrations continued in many cities, including Nishapur, Sabzevar, Mashhad, Hamedan, Tehran, Zahedan, Fooladshahr, Yasuj, Qazvin, and Qom. Information from the field indicates that in many locations, police and security forces resorted to violence to prevent gatherings.
Economic crisis deepens
The wave of protests erupted at a time when the country’s economic crisis has reached historic levels. Sharp rises in foreign exchange rates, the collapse of stock market indices, and a loss of confidence in the government’s economic policies have forced many businesses to close or suspend operations. According to experts, the exchange rate surpassing 140,000 tomans and capital shifting toward relatively lower-risk areas are among the main reasons behind the recent surge in public discontent.
According to compiled data, protests were recorded on the sixth day alone in 17 cities across 13 provinces. In Zahedan, crowds took to the streets after Friday prayers, chanting protest slogans on University and Khayyam streets. In Marvdasht, the funeral of a person who lost their life during protests turned into a demonstration; later in the day, new protests took place on Enghelab Street.
In Fooladshahr, a funeral ceremony for Daryoush Ansari Bakhtiyarvand, who was killed by gunfire from security forces during protests on the evening of January 1, was held with broad public participation.
113 protests in 46 cities
Within six days, at least 113 protest actions were held in 46 cities nationwide. It was reported that 15 of these took place at universities. The slogans chanted during demonstrations reflected a wide range of economic, social, and political demands, while also expressing accumulated public anger toward the Iranian state. In some cities, cemeteries and funeral ceremonies for those killed in protests also turned into spaces of resistance.
In many cities, security forces used tear gas, pellet cartridges, and harsh detention methods to disperse protesters. Footage from Qom showed security forces using tear gas, while a citizen was seen holding an empty pellet cartridge casing. In Tehran’s Narmak neighborhood, regime forces were reported to have used violence during the detention of a female protester.
Reports also emerged of tear gas use and live fire in Zahedan, Yasuj, Ferdows, and Khorramabad. In Kuhdasht, a protester was seriously wounded in the leg, while in Marvdasht it was reported that a moving vehicle was targeted without any warning.
Wave of detentions grows
It was reported that the number of detentions increased further on the sixth day. Fifteen people, including many women who were beaten during detention, were transferred to Evin Prison. In addition, two 16-year-old children were detained in Gachsaran and Yasuj and taken to an unknown location.
Dozens of citizens were also detained in Tehran, Bojnord, Izeh, Zahedan, Kermanshah, Ilam, and several other cities. Among those whose identities were disclosed are Iman Ali Moradi, Ali Najafi, Mohammad Hasanvand, Bijan Karimiyan, Mohammad Javad Zarei, Akbar Darvishi, Aref Darvishi, Mohammad Hevasi, Sepehr Salehi, Amir Roufi, Ehsan Meliki, Milad Kiyadi, Farzad Shokouri, Abolfazl Shadfar, Mo’in Meliki, and Yazdan Bakhti.
Meanwhile, media outlets close to security institutions published so-called “confession” videos allegedly belonging to detainees, reportedly obtained under coercion. No information was shared regarding the conditions under which these recordings were made.