Security forces defect to protesters, gunfire and casualties - Iran protests intensify
Illustrative photo: protests in Iran have been ongoing for 10 days (Getty Images)
At least 36 people have been killed in Iran during large-scale protests that have spread across most of the country and have now lasted for 10 days. Protesters claim they have managed to take control of two cities, driving out the ayatollah regime’s security forces, Fox News, Times Now, Human Rights Activists (HRNA), and Al Jazeera report.
According to the reports, protesters have allegedly taken full control of the city of Abdanan in Ilam province. The small city, with a population of about 20,000, became the first place where security forces lost control of the situation and, according to some accounts, partially defected to the protesters’ side.
BREAKING:
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) January 6, 2026
The Islamic regime in Iran is starting to crack.
As practically the entire city of Abdanan took to the streets today to protests against the Islamic regime, the police forces waved to them and applauded them from the roof of the police station pic.twitter.com/uijnlItSDd
It is reported that in Abdanan, forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attempted to suppress the unrest but were forced to retreat due to strong resistance. Police and other security units either went into hiding or sided with the protesters.
The protests in Abdanan intensified rapidly after regime forces attempted to storm the Imam Khomeini Hospital, where wounded protesters from other cities were being treated. Despite the use of non-lethal weapons and tear gas, security forces failed to achieve their objective.
Mass protests in Iran: what's known
In late December, protests erupted in Iran over economic demands after the national currency sharply collapsed due to Western sanctions (one US dollar now costs 1.46 million Iranian rials), while monthly inflation accelerated to 42.5%. The demonstrations began after merchants at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar massively shut down their shops.
The bazaar in Iran’s capital is not only an economic symbol but also a major political center. Its closure became a signal for nationwide protests, as so-called bazaaris have traditionally been one of the pillars supporting the Islamic ayatollah regime.
The protests quickly spread to universities and central districts of other major cities. Slogans shifted from economic to political, with people taking to the streets chanting “Death to the dictator!” Regime-linked institutions became targets of attacks: on January 1, unknown individuals set fire to a Basij militia base in the city of Chenar, and on January 3, police stations in several cities were stormed.
The regime responded with extreme force, using live fire against protesters, tear gas, and mass arrests. Among the victims so far are 30 demonstrators, four children, and two security personnel. The scale of the unrest prompted a reaction from US President Donald Trump, who condemned the crackdown and promised support for Iranian citizens if weapons were used against them.
