Iran protests the death toll Real-time updates: Iran’s protests over growing living expenses reached their fifth day, and as unrest expanded over many towns, several deaths were reported in skirmishes between protesters and security forces.
Iran Protests Death Toll Rises: LIVE Updates
Unrest in Iran continues to escalate as nationwide protests over rising living costs entered their fifth consecutive day. According to news agency AP, at least seven people have been killed in clashes between demonstrators and security forces.
Social media footage on Thursday showed vehicles set ablaze amid running confrontations between protesters and law enforcement. Many demonstrators were heard chanting slogans against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, while some even called for the restoration of the monarchy.
Reports of protests have emerged from multiple cities, including Lordegan, Tehran, and Marvdasht in southern Fars province, following a sharp collapse of Iran’s national currency. Videos verified by BBC Persian confirmed widespread demonstrations in these regions.
Violence Prompts Nationwide Closures
Authorities ordered schools, universities, and public institutions to close nationwide on Wednesday, declaring a bank holiday. While officials cited energy conservation amid cold weather as the reason, many Iranians perceived the closures as a security measure to curb protests.
The situation remains tense, with authorities continuing to monitor protests across the country as demonstrators voice their frustration over economic hardships.
Why Protests Are Erupting in Iran
The protests in Iran began in Tehran, led by shopkeepers frustrated over a sharp decline in the value of the rial against the US dollar in the open market. By Tuesday, the demonstrations had gained momentum as university students joined in, and unrest quickly spread to other cities across the country.
While the current wave of protests is being described as the most widespread since the 2022 demonstrations sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, it has not yet reached the same scale.
President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that his administration is ready to hear and address the “legitimate demands” of the protesters. Meanwhile, Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad warned that any attempts to undermine national stability would be met with a “decisive response.”
Iran Protests Escalate: 7 Dead, Trump Warns US Will Intervene
Jan 3, 2026 – Tehran:
Iran is witnessing its largest protests in years, with at least seven people reported dead amid clashes between demonstrators and security forces. The unrest, which began in the last week of December over soaring prices and a collapsing rial, has now spread beyond the capital, Tehran, to other cities and rural areas.
The demonstrations initially started with shopkeepers protesting the sharp fall in the Iranian rial against the US dollar. By Tuesday, university students joined, and unrest quickly escalated, raising tensions across the country. Videos from Mashhad, Yasuj, and Zahedan show protesters confronting security forces, chanting slogans such as “Death to the dictator”, and in some cases, being arrested during crackdowns.
Iran’s government has responded with a mix of security measures and attempted outreach. Authorities shut schools, universities, and public offices, declaring a bank holiday—officially to conserve energy amid cold weather, though widely seen as a move to contain protests. Tehran has also indicated it is open to dialogue with trade unions and merchant representatives.
US-Iran Tensions Rise:
US President Donald Trump issued a warning to Iranian authorities, stating that if peaceful protesters are harmed, Washington “will come to their rescue”. He added, “We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” though he provided no further details. In response, senior Iranian officials, including Ali Larijani, warned that US interference could destabilize the entire region.
Meanwhile, Iran’s UN ambassador Amir Saeed Iravani has called on the UN secretary-general and the UN Security Council to condemn Trump’s “unlawful threats,” describing them as interference in Iran’s internal affairs.
Support From Iranian Opposition Figures:
Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah of Iran, thanked Trump for his support, saying it gives hope to the Iranian people for a stable transition.
Background:
The protests mark the most widespread unrest since the 2022 demonstrations triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. While the scale is not yet as large as in 2022, the economic crisis—with inflation above 40% and the rial losing half its value in 2025—has fueled growing public anger.
Authorities report that the first fatalities occurred in cities with significant Lur and Kurdish populations, including Lordegan, Kuhdasht, and Isfahan. Human rights group Hengaw has reported at least 80 arrests, mostly in the western provinces.
As Iran grapples with economic instability and rising public dissent, the situation remains fluid, with potential implications for regional stability and US-Iran relations.
