HRANA:

For the ninth consecutive day, protests and strikes continued across numerous cities in Iran. Analysis of collected and verified data shows that despite an increasingly securitized environment, the expanded presence of law enforcement and security forces, ongoing street-level confrontations, and the use of live ammunition in some areas, the geographic scope of the protests has not diminished. On the contrary, diverse forms of protest activity have persisted nationwide. In recent days, at least 257 locations in 88 cities across 27 provinces have witnessed protest gatherings. During this period, at least 1,203 citizens were arrested, and at least 29 protesters lost their lives.

Protests that initially took shape in the form of strikes and labor-related gatherings entered a new phase on the ninth consecutive day. Alongside the continuation of some labor actions, street protests and student demonstrations at several universities have also been reported.

Background to the Protests

The protests emerged in a context where economic pressures on broad segments of society have reached a critical stage, and clear signs of disruption in the cycle of daily livelihoods are visible. Repeated surges in exchange rates, prolonged market instability, and the continuous decline in purchasing power have darkened and rendered unpredictable the economic outlook for households and trade activists alike, turning financial insecurity into a widespread experience.

In the days leading up to the start of the protests, reports indicated that exchange rates had crossed new thresholds, alongside a downturn in the capital market and capital outflows. Analysts have interpreted this trend as a shift of liquidity toward safer markets such as gold and foreign currency, and a decline in public trust in economic policies. At the grassroots level, the consequences have included the closure or partial shutdown of trade units, increasing difficulty in sustaining small businesses, and the spread of protest and strike waves in various cities, protests rooted not in a single short-term factor, but in the long-term accumulation of livelihood pressures and the erosion of hope for improved conditions.

Geography of the Protests

Based on updated and aggregated information, at least 257 locations across Iran have witnessed protests, street gatherings, or labor strikes in recent days. These protest activities have been reported in 27 provinces nationwide, and during the same period, 17 universities have also seen student-led protest actions.

Over the past 24 hours, reports have been received of protest gatherings in the cities of Ilam, Arak, Hamedan, Amol, Lahijan, Malekshahi, Semnan, Shalamzar, Bojnord, Babol, Koushk, Yasuj, Parand, Tehran, Asgharabad, Bandar Ganaveh, Marvdasht, Najafabad, Abadeh, Eslamabad-e Gharb, Sanandaj, Sari, Farsan, Shandiz, Sonqor, and Birjand.

An examination of the geographic pattern of the protests indicates that these activities have not been limited to major metropolitan areas, but have also extended to smaller cities and various regions across the country. This reflects the increasingly widespread nature of the protests and the participation of diverse social groups in the protest movement.

Go to link