Nigeria TV Info — INTERNATIONAL / MIDDLE EAST

Deadly Clashes Escalate in Iran as Protests Over Living Costs Enter Fifth Day

Deadly clashes between protesters and security forces have intensified across Iran as nationwide demonstrations over soaring living costs entered a fifth day, with multiple fatalities reported in several western and southern cities.

Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency and Kurdish human rights group Hengaw reported that at least two people were killed during confrontations in the city of Lordegan, in the country’s south-west. Fars also said three people died in Azna and another in Kouhdasht, all located in western Iran, though it did not clarify whether the victims were protesters or security personnel.

Hengaw identified the two people killed in Lordegan as protesters, naming them as Ahmad Jalil and Sajjad Valamanesh. The reports have not been independently verified.

Videos circulating on social media on Thursday showed vehicles set ablaze and running battles between demonstrators and security forces, as chants against Iran’s clerical leadership echoed through several cities. Some protesters were heard calling for an end to the rule of the supreme leader, while others voiced support for the restoration of the monarchy.

Verified footage also showed protests taking place in Tehran, Lordegan, and Marvdasht in southern Fars province, indicating that the unrest has spread beyond regional strongholds into the capital and other major areas.

As tensions mounted, reports emerged of clashes involving Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and the Basij militia. State media claimed that one member of the security forces was killed in Kouhdasht on Wednesday night. Protesters, however, disputed the account, insisting the victim was a demonstrator shot by security forces.

The protests, triggered by worsening economic conditions and rising living costs, mark one of the most serious waves of unrest in recent months, raising concerns over further escalation as both sides harden their positions.