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Reports indicate that a number of residents in Bushehr took to the streets on Saturday night, January 3, chanting slogans against the Islamic Republic and Ali Khamenei. The development signals continued geographic spread of unrest beyond major hubs, keeping political risk elevated—even as independent, real-time verification of crowd size and specific footage remains limited.
Social-media images indicate that a group of girls sat on the ground in a street in Mashhad on Saturday night, January 3, holding protest placards reading “Inflation has broken people’s backs—so where is Ali’s justice?” and “Honorable people of Iran, support [us].” The messaging ties everyday cost-of-living pressure to broader political and religious legitimacy, underscoring how economic strain is feeding into street-level dissent—though independent real-time verification of the footage, exact location, and participant numbers remains limited.
Reports indicate Parsa Loghmani , a sociology student at the University of Mazandaran , was arrested during protests in Babol . No official details have been provided publicly on the grounds for detention or his current location, and verification in real time may be limited.
Reports from social media say students at Shiraz University gathered at Eram Square and chanted slogans against the government and Ali Khamenei , while also voicing support for Prince Reza Pahlavi . The gathering underscores the protest movement’s continued expansion into university spaces—often a key amplifier of nationwide mobilization—though real-time independent verification of specific videos and crowd size can be limited.
Iran International reported that the body of Shayan Asadollahi , a 28-year-old protester killed in Azna (Lorestan) on Thursday night (11 Dey) after being shot by security forces, has not yet been handed over to his family. A source close to the family said IRGC Intelligence , law enforcement, and the local Basij unit have pressured relatives to attribute his death to protesters and publicly present him as a “Basiji” and “martyr”—a proposal the family reportedly rejected. The report also notes that Asadollahi worked as a barber and was active in crypto , supporting his mother and sister after several male relatives died in a traffic accident about a year ago.
The European Union said on Saturday it is “concerned” by reports of deaths and violence during several days of protests in Iran, calling on Tehran to exercise “maximum restraint.” In a statement issued by the spokesperson for Kaja Kallas , the EU urged the Iranian authorities to respect freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly, and to immediately release all those detained for participating in peaceful protests.
Reports from social media and activist accounts say protesters in Fardis were confronted by security forces after chanting slogans against Ali Khamenei and in support of Prince Reza Pahlavi , with footage and posts describing a direct push/attack by government forces to disperse the gathering. Independent verification of the exact sequence and scale may be limited in real time. Still, the incident fits the broader pattern of escalating nighttime deployments and dispersal tactics across multiple cities.
More Teen Arrests, and Forced-Confession Broadcasts HRANA reports that Iran’s nationwide protests and strikes have entered their seventh day , with updated, verified data indicating the protest footprint remains broad despite a heavier security posture and intensified field crackdowns. HRANA says at least 174 locations across 60 cities in 25 provinces have seen protest activity over the past seven days, alongside hundreds of arrests and at least 15 deaths . The outlet also cites a reported rise in teenage detentions and the airing of forced confessions , signaling a tightening coercive response as unrest persists.
A video shared by protesters from Amol shows a visible presence of security forces on a city street, while protest chants can be heard in the background. The footage is described as forces moving in toward demonstrators, suggesting continued street pressure and dispersal tactics as the protest wave persists. Real-time independent verification of the clip’s exact location, timing, and sequence may be limited.
Iran has outlined a new subsidy framework that removes preferential exchange rates for imports and replaces them with direct household support via a ration-card (e-voucher) system . The plan sets a monthly credit of 1 million tomans per person , with an initial deposit of 4 million tomans per person to the household head’s card in phase one. Credits can be spent up to 20 days , with unused balances rolling over, and purchases available at 268,000+ stores nationwide . Prices will follow Market Regulation Headquarters approvals, 20 million new beneficiaries are added, and cash subsidies plus YASNA/malnutrition programs remain unchanged .
The Telegram channel “Civil Bazaar Protest” said Tehran’s bazaar merchants have called for a gathering on Sunday, January 4 (14 Dey) at pre-designated locations inside the Grand Bazaar . In the group’s second statement, merchants said the action is a continuation of the “nationwide uprising of the Iranian people” aimed at achieving freedom, justice, and dignity, urging fellow bazaaris to sustain the movement alongside the public until its “final destination.”
Prince Reza Pahlavi reacted on Saturday, Jan. 3 (13 Dey) to remarks by Ali Khamenei , saying the Islamic Republic’s leader—“frightened by the waves of a national uprising”—emerged from hiding to threaten the public. Pahlavi wrote that the Iranian people will pull Khamenei “from his shaky chair” and free the country from “him and his regime.” He urged military and law-enforcement personnel not to tie their fate to a “sinking ship,” to side with citizens, and stressed that weapons are meant to defend the people. He warned that those who fire on civilians will be identified and punished, and called on protesters to stay in the streets and expand their presence, adding that the world is watching and supporting the Iranians’ courage.