Iran Protests Enter Second Week, Authorities Confirm Eight Deaths

Protests sparked by Iran's deepening economic crisis have entered a second week, with authorities confirming at least eight deaths amid ongoing unrest across the country.

Iranian officials said on Friday, January 2, that security forces were investigating the fatalities, as demonstrations continued despite a visible decline in turnout in the capital, Tehran.

Reports indicate that while protests in Tehran have eased, they have intensified in other provinces, particularly in smaller cities and rural areas, where economic pressures are more acute.

Iran has struggled with soaring inflation, a weakening currency and high unemployment, problems compounded by years of international sanctions and domestic mismanagement. Economic grievances have repeatedly triggered unrest in recent years.

The current demonstrations are being described as the largest since nationwide protests erupted in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, which evolved from social demands into broader challenges to the Islamic Republic's authority.

The latest protests, initially driven by rising prices and declining living standards, have increasingly included chants directly criticising Iran's religious leadership, according to videos shared on social media.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he supports Iranian protesters, renewing sharp rhetoric against Tehran and accusing its leaders of suppressing public discontent.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by warning that the country's forces are on full alert, rejecting what he called foreign interference in Iran's internal affairs.

Analysts say the widening geographic spread of the protests highlights persistent economic fragility and growing public frustration, even as security forces seek to prevent unrest from coalescing into a nationwide movement.

With tensions rising at home and abroad, observers warn that how Iranian authorities manage the protests in coming days could shape both domestic stability and Tehran's relations with the West.

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