35 killed and 1200 arrested in protests in Iran

According to information published on Monday, December 5, by the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) citing the human rights organization Human Rights Activists in Iran and its media network HRANA, at least 35 people have died in Iran as a result of nine days of protests, and more than 1,200 demonstrators have been detained.

The protests began in late December and spread to at least 88 cities, covering 27 out of 31 provinces in the country. At certain moments, Iranian law enforcement used force to disperse demonstrations, especially in smaller towns, which triggered a new wave of protests in major cities like Tehran and Mashhad. Students from at least 17 universities joined the protests, to which security forces responded with raids on campuses. These events have become the largest protests in Iran since 2022, when the public was outraged by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini following her detention by the "morality police".

The Iranian leadership threatens harsh measures against protesters

According to human rights defenders, among the 35 people who died in the protests, 29 were civilian activists, four were children, and two were members of the security forces. Iranian state media previously mentioned an incident where a 21-year-old member of the paramilitary group "Basij," subordinate to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed during a demonstration in Kuhdasht. Reports indicate that security forces attempted to disperse the rally using firearms, to which protesters responded with stones, which may have led to the death of the Basij member.
On January 5, Iranian judicial authorities stated that they would not show leniency towards those detained during the protests. In 2025, nearly two thousand people were executed in Iran, which is double the number compared to the previous year.

According to The Times, Khamenei is ready to leave the country in case of escalation of protests

According to information obtained from British intelligence and published by The Times, 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei may leave Tehran if the army and security forces stop obeying him and side with the protesters. This "Plan B" is intended for Khamenei and his closest circle, including his son Mojtaba.

Former Israeli intelligence officer Benny Sabti, who fled Iran after the Islamic Revolution, believes that Khamenei could seek refuge in Moscow, as "there is no other place for him," referring to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's flight to Moscow before the rebels captured Damascus.

Mass protests in Iran began on December 28 at the main bazaar in Tehran, where many shop owners closed their stores in protest against hyperinflation and sharp price fluctuations. According to AFP, on December 29, the exchange rate of the Iranian rial fell to a record low (one rial is approximately 0.00002 euros), and in October, food inflation reached 64.2%, making Iran one of the worst in this regard, second only to South Sudan.

Source: dw.com