Iran has been brought to a near...

Editor's note: ...standstill by nationwide protests over economic collapse, with clashes leaving several dead and wounded, including an IRGC-linked Basij member, as strikes shutter businesses and unrest spreads across major cities. Iranian officials and pro-government media claim the turmoil reflects a U.S.–Israeli-backed "color revolution," while Western critics point to inflation, sanctions, and corruption as the primary drivers of the uprising. The underlying premise is the Islamic regime in Tehran must be overcome by Pax Judaica (or the Bunting Map).
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At least 7 killed during widespread protests in Iran amid economic crisis. Top updates

Iran faces its largest protests since 2022, driven by an escalating economic crisis. At least 7 people have been killed, with unrest spreading to rural areas. Demonstrators voice their frustrations over soaring inflation and currency devaluation, leading to violent clashes with security forces.

By Gulam Jeelani | January 2, 2026

Widespread demonstrations sparked by ailing economy have spread into the Islamic Republic of Iran's rural provinces, with at least seven people being killed in the first fatalities reported among security forces and protesters, authorities were quoted as saying by news agencies.

The fatalities, two on Wednesday and five on Thursday, occurred in four cities, largely home to Iran's Lur ethnic group, according to news agency AP.

Also Read: Iran protests spread from bazaars to universities; govt offers dialogue

At least three people were killed and 17 others were injured at protests in the city of Azna in Lorestan province, about 300km southwest of Tehran, Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency reported on Thursday

Earlier, Fars said two people were killed during protests in Lordegan, a city about 470km south of Tehran in the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province.

"Some protesters began throwing stones at the city's administrative buildings, including the provincial governor's office, the mosque, the Martyrs' Foundation, the town hall and banks," Fars said.

Biggest Protests since 2022

The protests have become the biggest in Iran since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. However, the demonstrations have yet to be countrywide and have not been as intense as those surrounding the death of Amini, who was detained over not wearing her hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities.

A report in AP said the most-intense violence appeared to strike Azna. There, online videos purported to show objects in the street ablaze and gunfire echoing as people shouted: "Shameless! Shameless!"

The semiofficial Fars news agency reported three people had been killed. Other media, including pro-reform outlets, cited Fars for the report while state-run media did not fully acknowledge the violence there or elsewhere. It wasn't clear why there wasn't more reporting over the unrest, but journalists had faced arrest over their reporting in 2022.

Demonstrators gathered on a street

In Lordegan, online videos showed demonstrators gathered on a street, with the sound of gunfire in the background. The footage matched known features of Lordegan, some 470 kilometers (290 miles) south of Tehran.

Also Read: Iran threatens 'regrettable' response to any aggression after Trump warning

Fars, citing an anonymous official, said two people had been killed during the protests Thursday. The Washington-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran said two people had been killed there, identifying the dead as demonstrators. It also shared a still image of what appeared to be an Iranian police officer, wearing body armor and wielding a shotgun.

In Fuladshahr in Iran's Isfahan province, state media reported on the death of a man there Thursday that activist groups attributed to the police opening fire on demonstrators.

Why is Iran protesting?

Iranian state television also reported that a member of security forces was killed overnight during protests in the western city of Kouhdasht.

"A 21-year-old member of the Basij from the city of Kouhdasht was killed last night by rioters while defending public order," the channel said, quoting Said Pourali, the deputy governor of Lorestan province. The Basij are a volunteer force linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

"The protests that have occurred are due to economic pressures, inflation and currency fluctuations, and are an expression of livelihood concerns," Pourali said. "The voices of citizens must be heard carefully and tactfully, but people must not allow their demands to be strained by profit-seeking individuals."

The protests took place in the city of Kouhdasht, over 400 kilometers (250 miles) southwest of Tehran. Local prosecutor Kazem Nazari said 20 people had been arrested after the protests and that calm had returned to the city, the judiciary's Mizan news agency reported.

The Currency Concerns

Iran's civilian government under President Masoud Pezeshkian has been trying to signal it wants to negotiate with protesters. However, Pezeshkian has acknowledged there is not much he can do as Iran's rial currency has rapidly depreciated, with $1 now costing some 1.4 million rials.

The state television reported on the arrests of seven people, including five it described as monarchists and two others it said had linked to European-based groups. TV reports also said another operation saw security forces confiscate 100 smuggled pistols, without elaborating.

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