Tehran
\nAt least 36 people have been killed during the last 10 days of protests across Iran, a human rights group has said.
\nThe foreign-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that 34 of those confirmed killed were protesters and two were affiliated with security forces.
\nIranian authorities have not published an official death toll but said three security personnel have been killed. BBC Persian has so far confirmed the deaths and identities of 20 people.
\nHRANA also said that more than 60 protesters had been injured and 2,076 arrested during the unrest, which was sparked by an economic crisis and has spread to 27 of 31 provinces.
\nOn Tuesday evening, Iranian semi-official media reported that a policeman was shot dead by what they called \u201crioters\u201d in Malekshahi in the western province of Ilam, where there have been widespread protests and a violent crackdown by security forces in recent days.
\nEarlier, security forces were filmed firing tear gas during clashes with protesters who chanted slogans against Iran\u2019s clerical rulers at Tehran\u2019s Grand Bazaar.
\nThe protests began on 28 December, when shopkeepers took to the streets of the capital to express their anger at another sharp fall in the value of the Iranian currency against the US dollar on the open market.
\nThe rial has sunk to a record low over the past year and inflation has soared to 40% as sanctions over Iran\u2019s nuclear programme squeeze an economy also weakened by mismanagement and corruption.
\nUniversity students soon joined the protests and they began spreading to other cities.
\nOn Friday, President Donald Trump threatened US intervention if Iranian security forces killed peaceful protesters, declaring: \u201cWe are locked and loaded and ready to go.\u201d
\nThe following day, Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – who has ultimate power – said that \u201crioters should be put in their place\u201d and vowed not to \u201cyield to the enemy\u201d.
\nJudiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei echoed the comments on Monday, saying authorities would listen those who \u201clegitimately and rightly have concerns about their livelihood\u201d but also show no leniency towards \u201crioters\u201d.
\nUN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was \u201cdeeply saddened by the reported loss of life and injuries resulting from clashes between security forces and protesters\u201d, and \u201cunderscores the need to prevent any further casualties\u201d, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.
\n\u201cAll individuals must be allowed to protest peacefully and express their grievances,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Tehran At least 36 people have been killed during the last 10 days of protests across Iran, a human rights group has said. The foreign-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that 34 of those confirmed killed were protesters and two were affiliated with security forces. Iranian authorities have not published an official death […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":524362,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-524340","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n