An Iranian police officer was killed in a stabbing incident during unrest near Tehran, local media reported on Thursday, as nationwide protests driven by economic grievances entered their 12th consecutive day.
According to the Fars News Agency, Shahin Dehghan, a police officer serving in Malard county west of the capital, was fatally wounded while security forces were attempting to restore order. The agency said Dehghan “was martyred a few hours ago after being stabbed during efforts to control unrest,” adding that investigations are under way to identify and apprehend those responsible.
The latest violence comes amid a wave of demonstrations that erupted on December 28, when merchants in Tehran protested against soaring prices and the sharp depreciation of the national currency, the rial. The initial protest quickly gained momentum, triggering similar demonstrations across the country.Since then, unrest has spread to at least 25 of Iran’s 31 provinces, according to an AFP tally based on official statements and local media reports. The protests have resulted in dozens of deaths, including members of the security forces, highlighting the growing volatility of the situation.
While the current demonstrations have not reached the scale of the nationwide protests of 2022–2023—sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini following her arrest for allegedly violating Iran’s strict dress code for women—they represent the most serious challenge to the Islamic Republic since that period.
Nor do they match the magnitude of the mass protests that followed Iran’s disputed 2009 presidential election.
Nonetheless, the unrest poses a significant test for Iran’s leadership, unfolding against the backdrop of a deepening economic crisis and coming shortly after the 12-day war with Israel in June, which further strained the country’s political and economic landscape.