Overview
- Demonstrations that began with bazaar strikes over a plunging rial and soaring prices have spread nationwide, drawing students and other groups into the streets.
- State media and rights groups report at least 10 deaths in recent clashes, including Basij members, with arrests ranging from dozens to more than 100 cited by various sources.
- President Trump said the U.S. is "locked and loaded" to rescue peaceful protesters if they are killed, prompting Iran's UN complaint and public threats from senior officials against U.S. bases in the region.
- Police pledged to permit lawful gatherings but vowed a firm response to unrest, as reports and videos described live fire by security forces, some of which remained unverified.
- President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged dialogue and acknowledged failings, yet analysts note his limited sway over security forces as the rial trades near 1.4 million per dollar and inflation hovers around 50 percent.