At least 16 dead in Iran during week of protests: rights groups
Rights groups report rising fatalities and hundreds of arrests in the biggest Iran protests in three years
At least 16 people have been killed during a week of unrest in Iran, rights groups said on Sunday, as protests over soaring inflation spread across the country, sparking violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces.
Deaths and arrests have been reported throughout the week both by state media and rights groups, though the figures differ. Reuters has not been able to independently verify the numbers.
The protests are the biggest in three years. Senior figures have struck a softer tone than in some previous bouts of unrest, at a moment of vulnerability for the Islamic Republic with the economy in tatters and international pressure building.
President Masoud Pezeshkian told the Interior Ministry to take a “kind and responsible” approach towards protesters, according to remarks published by state media, saying “society cannot be convinced or calmed by forceful approaches”.
That language is the most conciliatory yet adopted by Iranian authorities, who have this week acknowledged economic pain and promised dialogue even as security forces cracked down on public dissent in the streets.