Iranian security forces fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators at the Tehran bazaar on Tuesday, as an NGO said more than two dozen people had been killed in a crackdown on the most significant protests to hit the Islamic republic in three years.

The protests were triggered by anger over the rising cost of living, with the Iranian rial losing value again on Tuesday to reach another record low against foreign currencies.

Security forces have now killed at least 27 protesters, including five minors under the age of 18, the Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR) said. Iranian authorities say members of security forces have also been killed, including a policeman who was shot dead on Tuesday.

The protest wave began on December 28 with a shutdown by merchants in the Tehran bazaar, a national economic hub. They have since spread to other areas, especially the west, which is home to Kurdish and Lor minority groups.

It is the most serious protest movement in Islamic republic since the 2022-2023 nationwide rallies sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested for allegedly violating the strict dress........

© Al Monitor