Protests in Iran: According to human rights organizations, 35 people have died

According to HRANA, the protests that began in late December have spread to at least 88 cities, covering 27 out of 31 provinces of Iran. Human rights activists note that security forces have started using force against protesters, especially in smaller towns.

These actions have triggered a new wave of protests in major cities, including Tehran and Mashhad. Students from 17 universities across the country have also taken to the streets in protest. In response, student media report that security forces have begun conducting raids on university campuses. The protests that have started in the country are the largest since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after her detention by the "morality police" sparked public outrage.

Among those killed during the protests, 29 were protesters, four were children, and two were security personnel, according to human rights activists. The official authorities of Iran have not provided any comments on the number of casualties or injuries.

Iranian state media previously mentioned an incident in which a 21-year-old member of the paramilitary Basij, subordinate to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed during protests in the city of Kuhdasht.

It is reported that security forces attempted to disperse the protesters in Kuhdasht using weapons, to which demonstrators responded with stones, which may have led to the death of the Basij member.

On January 5, the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran stated that there would be no leniency shown to those detained during the protests.

According to sources from British intelligence, The Times reports that 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is considering leaving Tehran if his orders are no longer followed by the army and security forces, switching sides to the protesters. This so-called "Plan B" concerns Khamenei and his inner circle, including his son and presumed heir Mojtaba, noted the publication's source.

Former Israeli intelligence officer Benny Sabti, who fled Iran after the Islamic Revolution, believes that Khamenei may flee to Moscow, as he has no other alternatives. He compared the situation to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's flight to Moscow before the rebels captured Damascus.

Protests in Iran have been ongoing since December 28 and began at the main bazaar in Tehran. Shop owners closed their stores in protest against hyperinflation and sharp price fluctuations. On December 29, the exchange rate of the Iranian rial fell to a record low (one rial is approximately equal to 0.00002 euros). According to the World Bank, in October, food inflation in Iran reached 64.2%, placing the country second in the anti-rating, only behind South Sudan.

Note. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) is a news agency engaged in human rights activities, operating under the non-governmental organization Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI).
The HRAI/HRANA headquarters is located not in Iran, but in the USA, registered as a non-profit organization and based in Virginia, near Washington.