Overview
- Rights groups report demonstrations in more than 170 locations across 25 provinces, marking the widest protests since the 2022 wave.
- At least 15 to 17 people have been killed and over 580 arrested, with the fiercest clashes reported in western provinces and sporadic confrontations in Tehran.
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged economic grievances but said authorities will not “talk to rioters,” declaring they must be “put in their place.”
- President Donald Trump warned the U.S. could respond if protesters are killed, drawing threats from Iranian officials against American forces and a formal complaint to the United Nations.
- The rial has fallen to roughly 1.4–1.5 million per dollar with inflation near 40%, prompting the appointment of Abdolnaser Hemmati as central bank governor and limited offers of dialogue by the government.