Protesters Attempt to Breach Government Building Amid Ongoing Protests in Iran

Protests in Iran Amid Collapse of Local Currency

Protesters in Iran attempted to breach a local government building in Fars province on the fourth day of demonstrations triggered by the collapse of the currency. Authorities reported that three police officers were injured and four individuals were arrested in the city of Fasa. Clashes were also reported in the western provinces of Hamedan and Lorestan.

In the capital city of Tehran, the government declared a bank holiday on Wednesday, seemingly in an effort to calm the protests. Videos circulated on social media and verified by the BBC showed a crowd forcing the gate of the governor's office in Fasa, while other posts depicted security personnel opening fire in response. Clouds of tear gas rose in front of closed shops.

Nationwide, schools, universities, and public institutions were closed due to the holiday announced by the Iranian government, justified as a measure to conserve energy in cold weather, but seen by many Iranians as an attempt to control the protests. These demonstrations began last Sunday among traders dissatisfied with a new steep drop in the value of the Iranian currency against the U.S. dollar in the open market.

By Tuesday, university students had joined the protests, which spread to several cities, with crowds chanting slogans against the country’s clerical leadership. The current protests are the most widespread since a similar uprising in 2022, triggered by the death in custody of young Mahsa Amini, who was accused by the morality police of not wearing her veil correctly. However, these protests have not reached the same scale.

To prevent any escalation, reports indicate heightened security in areas of Tehran where demonstrations have begun. President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that his government would listen to the 'legitimate demands' of the protesters. However, Attorney General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad warned that any attempt to create instability would be met with a 'decisive response.'