Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday acknowledged the economic demands of protesters in Iran, where demonstrations have spread to more than two dozen cities, even as he warned there would be no quarter for "rioters".

The protests began on Sunday as an expression of discontent over high prices and economic stagnation, but have since expanded to include political demands.

Iranian media have reported localised violence and vandalism in the west of the country in recent days.

"During clashes in Malekshahi, Latif Karimi, a member of the IRGC, was killed while defending the country's security," Mehr news agency said.

Malekshahi is a county of about 20,000 residents with a large Kurdish population, where "rioters attempted to enter a police station", according to separate news agency Fars, which added that "two assailants were killed".

Mehr earlier reported a member of the Basij paramilitary force was also killed during another protest in western Iran after being "stabbed and shot" by........

© Al Monitor