Overview
- Demonstrations entered a fifth day, spreading from Tehran’s bazaars to cities such as Kuhdasht, Lordegan, Azna, and Marvdasht, with students joining at multiple universities.
- Authorities confirmed the death of 21-year-old Basij member Amirhossam Khodayari Fard in Kuhdasht, while Fars reported two killed in Lordegan and three in Azna, and rights groups cited additional fatalities including in Isfahan, with figures not independently verified.
- Officials offered talks with merchants and trade unions, declared a sudden cold-weather holiday, deployed security forces, and announced arrests including 20 in Kuhdasht and seven people accused of ties to hostile groups.
- Prosecutors warned of a decisive response to unrest as local outlets reported damaged government buildings in Lordegan and heavy security deployments in several provinces.
- Economic pressures driving the protests include a rial trading near 1.4–1.45 million per US dollar on unofficial markets and inflation reported around 40–52 percent, while the U.S. State Department voiced concern and President Trump warned the U.S. is “locked and loaded” if protesters are killed.