Running Battles in Iran Leave Two Dead as Flames Rise
Two young Iranians were shot dead as protests over food prices and hijab rules spiraled into running street battles and burning barricades.
Running Battles in Iran Leave Two Dead as Flames Rise
Tehran — The night air in the southwestern city of Izeh was still thick with smoke when 17-year-old Arshia heard the first crack of gunfire. Within minutes, two bodies lay on the asphalt, cars burned like torches, and another wave of anti-government protests had turned deadly.
Street Corners Become Front Lines
Witnesses told Global Voice that demonstrations began peacefully after evening prayers, swelling to several hundred people chanting against rising bread prices and the mandatory hijab law. Riot police answered with tear-gas canisters and, according to multiple accounts, live rounds.
“They fired straight into the crowd,” Arshia said over a crackling phone line. “People scattered, but the barricades went up fast—burning tires, anything we could find.”
Two Lives Lost, Dozens Wounded
State media confirmed two fatalities: 21-year-old Mehdi Mousavi and 23-year-old Fatemeh Rezaei, both reportedly shot in the chest. Amateur footage verified by our team shows a white sedan ablaze beside their bodies, its horn stuck on a single, eerie note underscoring the chaos.
Local hospitals report at least 38 injured, four in critical condition. Internet monitoring groups noted a 65-percent drop in connectivity across Khuzestan province within minutes of the clash—an increasingly common tactic to stymie organizing.
Government Blames ‘Foreign Agitators’
Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi blamed “outside infiltrators” for the violence, promising a “decisive response.” Yet activists point to economic despair: inflation hovers near 50 percent and the rial has shed 20 percent of its value since January.
- Price of flour up 110% year-over-year
- Youth unemployment at 26%, double national average
- Public sector wages unpaid for two months in 14 provinces
What Happens Next
As dawn broke, charred husks of vehicles lined Jomhuri Street, and shopkeepers swept ash from their doorways. Protesters vow nightly rallies; security forces have deployed armored vehicles at every major intersection. With both sides digging in, residents fear the death toll may rise before the embers cool.