Fresh protests and strike actions erupted across Iran on Thursday as demonstrators criticised the authorities in a renewed wave of unrest, with rights groups accusing security forces of opening fire on civilians in several areas.
The demonstrations, now in their 12th day, have posed a serious challenge to the clerical leadership headed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which is already grappling with an economic downturn caused by years of sanctions and the aftermath of the June war against Israel.
The protest movement began on December 28 following a shutdown of Tehran’s main bazaar after the national currency, the rial, fell to record lows. Since then, the unrest has spread nationwide, with rallies growing larger and more coordinated.
Authorities have attributed the violence to “rioters,” while the judiciary chief has warned there would be “no leniency” in prosecuting those responsible.
Iran’s Fars news agency reported that an Iranian police officer was stabbed to death west of Tehran on Wednesday “during efforts to control unrest.”
Reza Pahlavi, son of the late shah who was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution and a prominent opposition figure in exile, described turnout on Wednesday as “unprecedented” during the current wave of protests and urged supporters to stage major demonstrations later in the day.
Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in Iraq, including the banned Komala party, called for a general strike on Thursday in western Iran’s Kurdish regions, where protest activity has been particularly intense.
As the unrest spread, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said demonstrations had taken place in 348 locations across all 31 provinces of Iran.
The Hengaw rights group reported that the strike call was widely observed in about 30 towns and cities, sharing footage of closed shops in the western provinces of Ilam, Kermanshah and Lorestan.
Hengaw accused security forces of shooting at protesters in Kermanshah and the nearby town of Kamyaran, wounding several people, and also reported Internet shutdowns in the area.
HRANA published footage it said showed security forces firing handguns at protesters in Kermanshah.
Internet monitoring group Netblocks said there was a “loss of connectivity” in Kermanshah “amid rising casualties with indications of disruptions in multiple regions.”
The Norway-based Iran Human Rights group said a female protester was shot directly in the eye during a late Wednesday protest in the western city of Abadan.
“The footage provides further evidence of the excessive and unlawful use of force against civilians nationwide,” the group said.
In the southern city of Kuhchenar in Fars province, protesters were seen cheering overnight as they pulled down a statue of former Revolutionary Guards foreign operations commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US strike in January 2020 and is regarded as a national hero by Iranian authorities, according to video verified by AFP.
‘Unlawful force’
Larger demonstrations have continued to define the protests, with images shared online showing large crowds again gathering in Abadan on Thursday.
Protesters have chanted slogans against the clerical establishment, including “this is the final battle, Pahlavi will return” and “Seyyed Ali will be toppled,” referring to Ayatollah Khamenei.
Iran Human Rights on Tuesday reported that at least 27 protesters, including five teenagers under 18, had been killed in the crackdown, cautioning that the figure could rise as additional cases were confirmed.
Fars news agency said five “rioters” were killed on Wednesday.
According to an AFP tally based on local media and official statements, at least 21 people, including members of the security forces, have died since the unrest began.
The protests have also reached university campuses. ISNA news agency reported that final examinations at Tehran’s Amir Kabir University were postponed for one week.
In the capital, AFP correspondents observed security forces deployed with motorbikes and anti-riot vehicles in some public squares, while shops remained open and traffic continued to move normally.
The current unrest marks Iran’s largest protest movement in three years, following the 2022–2023 demonstrations triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who had been detained for allegedly violating Iran’s strict dress code for women.
Rights groups have further accused authorities of using harsh tactics, including raiding hospitals to arrest wounded protesters.
“More than 10 days of protests have been met with unlawful force,” Amnesty International said.
“Iran’s security forces have injured and killed both protesters and bystanders.”
AFP
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