Deaths and Arrests Mount as Iran Faces Its Most Serious Unrest in Three Years
At least sixteen people have been killed across Iran during a week of nationwide protests, according to reports from international rights groups, as authorities intensify their response to the largest wave of unrest the country has seen in three years. Activists say the true toll may be higher, warning that restrictions on information and media make independent verification difficult.
The demonstrations erupted in multiple cities following public anger over economic hardship, rising prices and long standing grievances about political freedoms. Protesters have taken to the streets in Tehran and other major urban centres, as well as in several provincial towns, chanting slogans critical of the government and calling for change. Videos circulated on social media appear to show clashes between demonstrators and security forces, although access to platforms has been intermittently restricted.
Rights organisations report that hundreds of people have been arrested since the protests began. Many detainees are believed to be young men and women, including students and workers. Families of those detained say they have struggled to obtain information about where their relatives are being held or what charges they may face. Lawyers and activists inside Iran have also warned that some detainees are being denied access to legal representation.
Iranian authorities have acknowledged unrest but dispute accounts from rights groups, accusing what they describe as hostile foreign actors of exaggerating casualties and encouraging instability. State media has portrayed the protests as isolated incidents rather than a coordinated national movement. Officials have also defended the actions of security forces, saying they are acting to maintain public order and protect property.
Human rights monitors argue that the pattern of violence and arrests reflects familiar tactics used during previous periods of unrest. They point to the use of live ammunition, tear gas and mass detentions as signs of a hard line response. The last protests on a similar scale occurred in 2022, when demonstrations sparked by social and political grievances were met with a sweeping crackdown that left hundreds dead, according to independent estimates.
The latest unrest places renewed pressure on Iran’s leadership at a time when the country is already grappling with international sanctions, a struggling economy and regional tensions. Analysts say public frustration has been building for months as wages fail to keep pace with inflation and basic goods become increasingly unaffordable for many households.
The situation has drawn international concern. Officials at the United Nations have previously urged Iranian authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly and to avoid excessive use of force. Several governments have called for restraint and transparency, while reiterating demands for the release of those detained solely for exercising their rights.
Despite the risks, activists say protests are continuing in some areas, driven by a sense that underlying problems remain unresolved. Whether the demonstrations can sustain momentum remains unclear, particularly given the scale of the security response. What is clear, according to rights groups, is that the human cost is rising and that the coming days may prove critical in determining how this latest chapter of unrest unfolds in Iran.
