Nationwide protests against living conditions in Iran entered a fifth day on Thursday, with state-affiliated media confirming that at least two people had been killed in clashes between demonstrators and security forces.
The deaths were reported in the southwestern city of Lordegan. Witnesses and videos on social media appeared to show protesters lying motionless after security forces opened fire, with one victim reportedly struck by live ammunition. An eyewitness described the situation as “a battlefield”, saying security forces were “firing mercilessly”.
State media did not identify those killed, but an Iranian wrestler from Lordegan living in Germany said two young people had been killed and many more injured. The Guardian received images showing two bodies with what appeared to be pellet and bullet wounds, though the circumstances could not be independently verified.
In Tehran, authorities arrested 30 people on suspicion of public order offences following a coordinated security operation in the Malard district, according to the Tasnim news agency.
The protests, which began on Sunday after the collapse of the national currency, have spread to cities across Iran, with demonstrators demanding economic justice and an end to the regime. A human rights group said Iranians were living below the poverty line in increasing numbers and were angry at state mismanagement and corruption. The protests follow a year in which more than 1,500 people were executed, the highest number since 1989, with Amnesty International saying executions were carried out after unfair trials and widespread use of torture.
