Tehran: Iranian security forces fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators at Tehran’s main bazaar on January 6 as protests over soaring prices and currency collapse intensified, with an NGO reporting that more than two dozen people have been killed in the crackdown.
The demonstrations were sparked by public anger over the rising cost of living after the Iranian rial plunged to a new record low against foreign currencies.
According to a report by AFP, at least 27 protesters, including five minors under the age of 18, have been killed by security forces since the unrest began.
The protests began on December 28, when merchants shut down the Tehran bazaar, a key economic hub, and later spread to other regions, particularly western provinces with Kurdish and Lor populations.
The government of President Masoud Pezeshkian has announced modest monthly payments to ease economic pain, but the head of the judiciary warned that there would be no leniency for “rioters.”
