A member of Iran's security forces was killed during a fourth day of protests in the country, which have been sparked by a currency collapse, reports indicate.
The incident occurred in Kouhdasht, located in the western Lorestan province, with several security personnel also reported injured. Verified footage shows security forces engaging protesters amid these tensions.
Protest activities have extended into various provinces, including Fars and Hamedan, with the Iranian government announcing a bank holiday in an attempt to quell the unrest originating in Tehran.
According to the Fars news agency, a 21-year-old Basij member, linked to the Revolutionary Guards, lost his life during a confrontation in Kouhdasht. Injuries were reported among police officers and Basij members due to stone-throwing.
Unrest erupted elsewhere, such as in the city of Fasa in Fars province, where protesters attempted to breach local government buildings, resulting in multiple injuries among law enforcement and several arrests.
Social media footage has shown crowds attempting to break into the governor's office, followed by security forces retaliating with tear gas and gunfire. Due to the government's newly declared public holiday, schools and universities have closed, which many view as a strategy to control the situation.
The protests were originally driven by shopkeepers angered by a sharp decline in the Iranian currency's value against the U.S. dollar, evolving to involve university students and wider public dissent against the clerical leadership.
While President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed the intention to address protester demands, the prosecutor general has warned against any attempts to destabilize the state, promising a stern response to unrest.
