As a result of clashes in the city of Lordegan, two protesters were killed, according to Hengaw, shot by the military. There is also a report of one death in Kuhdasht and three fatalities in Azna, located in Lorestan province, according to Fars.
Protests began on Wednesday, triggered by a sharp decline in the national currency's value — the Iranian rial has depreciated by half against the US dollar, leading to a significant rise in prices. Initially, shop owners began to express their dissatisfaction, and then students joined them. Reuters describes these events as the largest protests in Iran in the last three years.
The day before, authorities declared a day off, citing the need to conserve energy amid cold weather. In response to the protests, the government, according to representative Fatime Mohajerani, intends to hold direct negotiations with trade unions, although the details of these negotiations have not yet been disclosed.
