TEHRAN: The ongoing protests in Iran have taken a violent turn, resulting in the death of a security personnel. According to official Iranian media reports, a member of the security forces was killed amid the unrest.
State TV quoted Saeed Pourali, the Deputy Governor of Lorestan Province, as saying that a 21-year-old Basij volunteer from Koohdasht was shot and killed on Wednesday night by protesters. This marks the first confirmed fatality since the protests erupted in Tehran on Sunday.
The Basij is a volunteer paramilitary organization linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.Saeed Pourali also mentioned that during demonstrations in Koohdasht, stone-throwing clashes injured 13 police officers and Basij members.
The protests initially began as a strike by shopkeepers in Tehran protesting inflation and economic stagnation, but quickly spread to other cities. By Tuesday, students from over ten universities had joined the protests.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian urged the government yesterday to implement measures to improve the economic conditions. Speaking at an event, he warned, “From an Islamic perspective, if we fail to address employment and economic challenges, we will face severe consequences.”
