IranWire:

ATA MOHAMED TABRIZ

In mapping Iran’s nationwide protests in December, certain counties stand out - places that had rarely drawn national or international attention until now. These smaller towns, far from Iran’s traditional media and political centers, have emerged as key hubs of unrest.

Despite intensified security measures, data compiled on January 5 indicates that demonstrations took place in more than 340 locations across all 31 of Iran’s provinces in a single day. The majority of these protests occurred in small cities and rural counties.

The sustained presence of protesters in these lesser-known areas suggests that the center of unrest has shifted away from major metropolitan centers toward smaller counties. Although these regions receive limited media coverage, they are among those most severely affected by Iran’s deepening economic and political crises.

A closer look at four such areas — the city of Abdanan, Malekshahi, Azna, and Neyriz — indicates that the surge in protests is closely tied to long-standing economic grievances and unfulfilled promises of development. In these regions, official rhetoric about “industrial growth” and “economic transformation” contrasts sharply with widespread deprivation, failing infrastructure, and chronic unemployment.

Decades of mismanagement and neglect have left local populations with few avenues to pursue their demands. In the absence of effective institutional responses, frustration has spilled into the streets, propelling these once-overlooked counties to the forefront of the protest movement.

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