TEHRAN — Sporadic protests erupted across Iran’s capital and several other cities over the weekend, as demonstrations initially driven by economic hardship increasingly took on a political edge and clashes in the country’s western regions grew more violent, according to Iranian media reports.
The unrest began on December 28, when shopkeepers launched strikes to protest worsening economic conditions, including inflation and declining purchasing power. Over the past week, the demonstrations have broadened in both scale and message, with some protesters now openly voicing political grievances alongside economic demands.
Local media described Saturday night’s protests in Tehran as limited but widespread across several neighborhoods. The semi-official Fars news agency reported gatherings ranging from 50 to 200 people in districts including Tehran Pars in the east, Ekbatan, Sadeghieh, and Sattarkhan in the west, and Naziabad and Abdolabad in the south. With a population of roughly 10 million, the capital has so far avoided mass mobilization, but tensions remain palpable.
Protesters chanted slogans such as “death to the dictator,” according to Fars, which said no major incidents were reported in Tehran beyond stone throwing and small fires fueled by burning trash bins.
Elsewhere, however, violence appeared to intensify. In Malekshahi, a western county with a sizable Kurdish population, clashes reportedly turned deadly when demonstrators attempted to storm a police station. Iranian media said one member of the security forces was killed, along with two alleged assailants.
State-run outlets have offered limited coverage of the protests, but social media platforms have been flooded with videos showing demonstrations in cities including Isfahan and Shiraz, suggesting a broader geographic spread than official reports acknowledge. Overall, at least 14 people, including security personnel, have been killed since the unrest began, according to local sources.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed the protests for the first time on Saturday, striking a dual note of recognition and warning. He acknowledged the country’s economic difficulties and urged officials to engage with protesters, while drawing a sharp line against violence. “There is no benefit to talking to rioters,” he said. “Rioters must be put in their place.”
Observers say the message reflects the government’s attempt to contain unrest while preventing it from spiraling into a broader national uprising.
