Dozens of protesters have been killed in a brutal government crackdown on ongoing nationwide demonstrations against Iran's clerical establishment.
RFE/RL's Radio Farda has verified the deaths of 25 protesters as of January 9, including five minors, although the actual death toll is believed to be higher.
The demonstrations erupted in the bazaars of the capital, Tehran, on December 28. But since then, they have spread to scores of cities and towns across the country of some 92 million people.
More than half of the deaths verified by RFE/RL occurred in the western provinces of Lorestan, Ilam, and Kermanshah. The three impoverished provinces are home to ethnic minorities and have been hit hard by Iran's worsening economic crisis, a catalyst for the demonstrations.
The vast majority of the protesters who have been killed were young men and most died of gunshot wounds. Iranian security forces have used heavy-handed tactics, including directly firing on crowds.
A Law Intern
At least seven protesters have been killed in Lorestan, home to the Lor ethnic group. Five were killed in the small town of Azna alone.
Among them was Ahmad Reza Amani, a 28-year-old intern at the local bar association. He was shot dead by security forces during a protest on January 1.
Mustafa Fallahi, 15, was also killed during the demonstration in Azna. A second teenager, 16-year-old Taha Safari, was shot and later died of his wounds.
Amir Hossam Khodayarifard was killed by security forces during a protest in the town of Kohdasht in Lorestan on January 1. The local branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said Khodayarifard was a member of the Basij paramilitary force, a claim rejected by his family.
Ahad Ebrahimi was another protester who was killed in Lorestan. He was shot dead during a protest in the town of Noorabad on January 1.
A Bodybuilder And A Boxer
Scores of protesters descended on a two-story building used by the IRGC in the town of Malekshahi in Ilam Province on January 3. As demonstrators chanted antiestablishment slogans and threw stones at the building, IRGC members climbed on the roof and opened fire on the crowd.
Five people were killed in one of the deadliest single incidents since ongoing protests erupted.
Fares Aghamohammadi, Mehdi Emamipur, and Latif Karimi were among those shot dead. Karimi was a retired member of the IRGC who was shot after calling on security forces not to shoot at protesters, according to his son. His family members told Radio Farda that he was among the protesters.
Reza Azimzadeh, a 27-year-old bodybuilder, was another protester who was killed on January 3 in Malekshahi. Another athlete -- boxer Mohammad Reza Karami -- was wounded during the protest and later died in a hospital.
A Truck Driver
Three protesters were killed in Kermanshah Province on January 3. Among them were brothers Rasul and Reza Kadivorian, both construction workers.
The elder, 20-year-old Reza, was shot dead during the protest. His brother, Rasul, 17, was shot and wounded. He later died in a hospital.
In the county of Haris in Kermanshah, a 42-year-old truck driver was killed during a protest on January 2. The authorities claimed Ali Azizi was a member of the IRGC, a claim rejected by his family.
A Futsal Coach
In the southern province of Fars, Khodadad Shirvani-Manfard was shot in the head at close range during protests on January 1 in the city of Marvdasht.
Relatives of the 33-year-old told Radio Farda that he was killed near a police station. Videos released on social media showed protesters carrying his body.
Two others -- including Amir Mohammad Kohkan, a 26-year-old futsal coach, and Mansur Mokhtari -- were also shot dead by security forces in Marvdasht. Relatives of Kohkan told Radio Farda that he died from a gunshot wound to the chest.
A Hip-Hop Artist
At least four people have been killed in the southwestern province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari. They include Sajjad Valamanesh Zeilaei, 20, and Ahmad Jalil, 21, who were both killed during a rally in the town of Lordegan on January 1.
Soroush Soleimani, a 28-year-old who was said to be a hip-hop artist, was shot dead on January 4 during protests in Hafeshjan. Videos showed protesters setting a building on fire in the town.
A Shop Owner
The holy Shi'ite city of Qom has witnessed several protests that have turned deadly.
Hossein Rabiei died after suffering gunshot wounds to his chest. A local official in Qom said the 34-year-old, a shop owner, died after a hand grenade that he was carrying detonated. That claim has been rejected by his family.
Mohammad Nuri died in Qom on January 2. His relatives said he was shot in the chest.
In the central province of Isfahan, Dariush Ansari Bakhtiarvand was killed during a protest in the town of Foladshahr on January 1. Images of his lifeless body in a hospital have been widely shared on social media.
Police have claimed that the 37-year-old was killed after a fight with unknown assailants, but his relatives said he was pursued and killed by security officers after attending the protest in Foladshahr.
