In response to the protests, security forces are using tear gas, according to information from eyewitnesses reported by the dpa agency. Videos of burning police cars have appeared on social media from Tehran. Protests are also spreading to other major cities such as Mashhad and Kermanshah.
According to the British organization NetBlocks, Iranian authorities have completely shut down the internet for the general public, leading to an "almost complete nationwide internet blackout." According to IT company Cloudflare, on January 8, internet traffic in the country fell by about 90%. It is believed that only officials and security personnel have access to the network, dpa reports.
U.S. President Donald Trump, in a recent interview with Salem News Channel, reiterated threats against the Iranian leadership. "I made it clear to them that we will act strongly if they start killing people, which often happens during their riots," Trump noted, calling Iranians "brave people." He added that his administration is closely monitoring the developments.
According to the latest reports from the Norwegian organization Iran Human Rights (IHR), at least 45 people have died since the protests began, including eight minors. Earlier, Iranian authorities reported 21 fatalities, including security personnel.
The protests in Iran began on December 28 at the main city bazaar in Tehran, where shop owners closed their stores in protest against hyperinflation and sharp price fluctuations.
On December 29, the rial's exchange rate plummeted to a new record low, approximately 0.00002 euros per rial. Meanwhile, in October, the World Bank recorded food inflation in Iran at 64.2%, placing the country among the last in the global rankings, surpassed only by South Sudan.
