Sporadic protests broke out in the Iranian capital on Saturday evening, according to local media, which also reported intensifying clashes in the west of the country.
The demonstrations first kicked off last Sunday when shopkeepers staged a strike over economic concerns, but have since spread in size and scope, with protesters making political demands.
The protests have affected, to varying degrees, at least 40 different cities, mostly medium-sized and located in the country’s west, according to an AFP tally based on official announcements and media reports.
At least 12 people have been killed, including members of the security forces, according to a toll based on official reports.
Protests Saturday evening in Tehran were described as “limited” by the Fars news agency, which said they were “generally made up of groups of 50 to 200 young people”. Tehran’s population is about 10 million.
Demonstrations were reported in the districts of Novobat and Tehran Pars in the capital’s east; Ekteban, Sadeghieh and Sattarkhan in the west; and Naziabad and Abdolabad in the south, Fars said. (AFP)
