Police officer killed in protests near Tehran: Iranian media

By Tolga Akbaba, Mahmut Nabi and Tarek Chouiref

ISTANBUL (AA) – An Iranian police officer was killed in clashes during protests near the capital Tehran, local media reported on Thursday.

According to local reports, Lt. Col. Shahin Dehghan was fatally stabbed during unrest in the city of Malard, west of the capital.

Security authorities said investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest those involved in the incident.

Iran was rocked by waves of protests since last month, which started on Dec. 28 at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, the heart of the capital’s business activity, over the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions. Demonstrations later spread to several other cities across the country.

Iranian authorities have not released official figures on casualties. However, the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said in a report published Wednesday, marking the 11th day of protests, that at least 38 people were killed, including four members of the security forces. The agency also reported dozens of injuries and 2,217 arrests.

Meanwhile, Tasnim news agency said the number of police officers injured during the protests rose to 568, while 66 members of the paramilitary Basij forces were also wounded.

Iran has seen weeks of protests amid a deteriorating economy and a sharp fall in the value of the national currency, with the rial recently sliding past 1,350,000 against the US dollar.