Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has acknowledged the legitimacy of some grievances voiced by protesters demonstrating against the rising cost of living. However, he simultaneously vowed to crack down on what he termed “rioters.”
The protests, which began in Tehran approximately a week ago, were initially sparked by economic hardship and deteriorating living conditions. They have since expanded to include broader political demands.
Official Iranian media reports that clashes between protesters and security forces have resulted in the deaths of eight individuals, including two security personnel. A human rights organization, Hengaw, reported a higher death toll of at least ten on Friday.
In his first public comments on the protests since they erupted, Khamenei stated that Iranian authorities recognize the economic difficulties faced by the population and are working to address them. “We engage in dialogue with the protesters,” he said, “but there is no point in talking to rioters. They must be stopped.”
The protests have reportedly spread, to varying degrees, to at least 25 cities across Iran, primarily in the west and southwest of the country. However, reports suggest a calmer situation on Saturday, with streets appearing largely empty amidst rainy and snowy weather.
According to Iran’s Fars news agency, rallies were held on Friday in several districts of Tehran, a city of approximately 10 million people. The agency reported that around 300 individuals allegedly threw Molotov cocktails, blocked roads in the Darshahr area, and brandished Kalashnikov rifles.
Tasnim news agency quoted a local official as saying that one person was killed in the city of Qom on Friday when a hand grenade he intended to use “exploded in his hands.”
The protests began last Sunday with shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar closing their businesses in protest against hyperinflation and economic stagnation. The protests subsequently spread to universities and other areas of the country, with protesters raising political demands.
These protests have not yet reached the scale of the demonstrations that occurred in Iran in late 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of morality police for allegedly violating strict dress codes.
