A government building in southern Iran was attacked on Wednesday as protests over economic hardship intensified, prompting the country’s top prosecutor to warn of a decisive response to any attempts to create instability. The unrest follows days of spontaneous demonstrations that began in Tehran’s largest mobile phone market and quickly spread to students across the country.
Officials said parts of the provincial governor’s office, including glass doors, were damaged in the attack, though details on how it occurred remain unclear. Hamed Ostovar, head of Fasa’s judiciary, confirmed the incident while emphasizing that authorities were investigating and would hold culprits accountable.
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Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad acknowledged the legitimacy of economic grievances but stressed that turning protests into actions threatening public security or property would face strict legal measures. He warned that externally influenced attempts to destabilize the country would be met with proportionate responses.
The demonstrations gained momentum with students from ten universities joining, though protests remained largely concentrated in central Tehran. Authorities reported that four students were briefly arrested and later released, and shops in other parts of the sprawling metropolis remained unaffected by unrest.
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Iran’s economic crisis, worsened by US and international sanctions, has caused the rial to lose over a third of its value against the dollar, while inflation reached 52 percent year-on-year in December. Many citizens struggle to afford basic necessities, prompting public frustration and protests over daily hardships.
Schools, banks, and government offices were closed Wednesday for a bank holiday, officially due to cold weather and energy conservation, though authorities have not linked closures to the unrest. Analysts note that while these protests are significant, they have not approached the scale of nationwide demonstrations seen in 2022 and 2019.