A Basij paramilitary member was killed during protests over living costs in Iran, the first confirmed death since demonstrations began last week.
TEHRAN: A member of Iran’s security forces has been killed during protests that erupted last week, state television reported.
The channel cited a regional official saying a 21-year-old member of the Basij paramilitary force was killed “by rioters while defending public order” in the city of Kouhdasht.
This marks the first officially confirmed death since the protests began peacefully in the capital on Sunday.
The Basij is a volunteer force linked to Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards.
Said Pourali, deputy governor of Lorestan Province, said 13 police and Basij members were injured by stone-throwing during the demonstrations in Kouhdasht.
The protests started with shopkeepers in Tehran striking over the high cost of living and economic stagnation.
They later spread to other cities after students from at least 10 universities joined in on Tuesday.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called on the government to take action to improve the economic situation.
“From an Islamic perspective… if we do not resolve the issue of people’s livelihoods, we will end up in hell,” Pezeshkian said in a televised address.
Iran’s prosecutor general said peaceful economic protests were legitimate on Wednesday.
He warned any attempt to create insecurity would be met with a “decisive response”.
The Tasnim news agency reported the arrest of seven people it said were affiliated with foreign-based groups.
It claimed they were “tasked with turning the demonstrations into violence”.
Iran is currently in an extended weekend, with authorities declaring a last-minute bank holiday on Wednesday citing energy savings.
The national currency has lost over a third of its value against the US dollar in the past year.
Double-digit hyperinflation has undermined purchasing power for years, with the rate at 52% year-on-year in December.
