Gambiaj.com – (TEHRAN, Iran) – Clashes broke out across Iran on Monday, January 6, as protests that initially focused on the rising cost of living took on an increasingly political tone, with demonstrations reported in Tehran and several provincial cities.
In the capital, unrest began when several hundred people gathered at one of the main entrances to Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, the country’s economic heart. Riot police intervened swiftly, firing tear gas to disperse the crowd. Shortly afterward, fresh demonstrations erupted in the bazaar district and other parts of the city, swelling to several thousand protesters, according to reports from Tehran.
Security forces again deployed tear gas, and public anger intensified after one of the canisters reportedly landed inside a hospital, an incident that quickly sparked outrage on social media.
The protests were even more pronounced in some provincial areas. In Abdanan, a small town of roughly 25,000 people near the Iraqi border, several thousand residents took to the streets, marking one of the largest demonstrations there in recent days. Videos circulating online showed crowds marching past a police station, where officers had reportedly taken refuge on the roof. Several banks and public buildings were set ablaze during the unrest.
Amid the escalation, Iran’s police chief said on Wednesday, January 7, that law enforcement would act against what he described as “troublemakers” and vowed that calm would be restored.
President Massoud Pezeshkian struck a more cautious tone the same day, calling on security forces to take “no action” against protesters, while drawing a distinction between demonstrators and what he termed “rioters,” according to remarks reported by the Mehr news agency.
Tensions have also risen on the international front. Iran’s military leadership described recent statements by President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “threat.” Army chief General Amir Hatami, quoted by the Fars news agency, warned that Tehran would not tolerate what he called an escalation of “enemy rhetoric” against the Iranian nation without a response.
President Donald Trump has warned in recent days that the United States could intervene militarily if protesters are killed, while Prime Minister Netanyahu has publicly expressed support for the demonstrators. As protests continue, Iranian authorities face mounting pressure both at home and abroad over how the unrest will be handled.
