Protests Erupt in Tehran Amid Growing Economic Strife

Protests in Iran Increase

Sporadic protests have erupted in the Iranian capital, Tehran, and other cities, as local media report heightened clashes in the western part of the country. The demonstrations began on December 28 when merchants organized a strike due to economic issues, but after a week, they have expanded in scale and complexity, with protesters also making political demands.

Al Jazeera reporter Tohid Asadi, reporting from Tehran on Sunday, noted that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stated that the ongoing protests have yet to gain national momentum, asserting that they are not gaining rapid traction. "From time to time and sporadically, we witness protests, such as those that took place last night in Tehran, Kazerun, and other cities," Khamenei said on Saturday, adding that 14 people, including security forces, have been killed since the demonstrations began. "There could be further escalations if the government does not take concrete and practical actions."

Saturdays’ protests in Tehran were described by the semi-official news agency Fars as "limited," generally consisting of groups of 50 to 200 youths. Tehran's population is approximately 10 million. Protests were reported in neighborhoods including Novobat and Tehran Pars in the east, Ekteban, Sadeghieh, and Sattarkhan in the west, and Naziabad and Abdolabad in the south, according to Fars.

In Malekshahi, a district in western Iran with around 20,000 inhabitants, including a significant Kurdish population, a member of the security forces was killed in clashes. "Rioters attempted to attack a police station," Fars reported, adding that "two attackers were killed." Coverage of the protests by local media is not exhaustive, and state channels have downplayed the coverage of these demonstrations, while videos flooding social media are often unverifiable.

On Saturday, Khamenei issued a strong message in his first statement regarding the demonstrations. "We discuss with the protesters. Officials must talk to them," Khamenei said. "However, it is pointless to discuss with the rioters. Rioters must be dealt with." Asadi noted that Khamenei's statement acknowledges the economic problems facing the country, lending legitimacy to these protests from his perspective. Additionally, Asadi emphasized that the Supreme Leader has made it clear that the government will not allow the protests to turn violent. "This is the explicit warning he is trying to convey," added the Al Jazeera correspondent.