Iranian protesters attempt to break in to government building as demonstrations escalate

Iranian protesters attempted to storm a local government building on Wednesday, state media reported, as demonstrations over the cost of living reached their fourth day.

In an unusual response to unrest, the Iranian government on Tuesday offered to set up a dialogue with protest leaders. The first major protests since before June - when US airstrikes prompted an outpouring of patriotism - began on Sunday.

Shopkeepers and traders in the capital, Tehran, angry about spiralling inflation and the Iranian currency plunging to a record low against the dollar, took to the streets on Sunday, and have since been joined by students. On Wednesday they attempted to break in to the local governor's office in the southern Fars province, state media confirmed.

"A few hours ​ago an organised group tried to get into the governorate building in the city of Fasa, their attack failed with the intervention ‍of security forces," state media said. "The leader of these rioters, a 28-year-old woman, was arrested".

Iran's Tasnim news agency cited a local official as saying four "attackers" had been detained and three members of the security forces ‌had been wounded during the clash. The governor of Fasa told state media that "the protests were caused by inflation and economic conditions.

Individualsinfluenced by hostile channels and media participated in them... the situation is back to normal".

Whereas Iranian authorities have responded to previous protests with fierce security measures and arrests, in this instance it offered to set up a "dialogue mechanism" - though the details have not been confirmed. Monday's protests were the biggest since 2022, which were prompted by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini in police custody.

She was arrested by the country's morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly. The recent protests come after the rial lost nearly half its value ‍against the dollar in 2025, with inflation reaching 42.5% in December.

On Monday, the governor of Iran's Central Bank, Mohammad Reza Farzin, resigned, replaced by former economics minister Abdolnasser Hemmati. Iran's embattled economy has been navigating US sanctions since 2018, designed to deter its nuclear programme, which it says is peaceful.

These sanctions have hampered the economy and strained household budgets, the impact now exacerbated by the plummeting currency value and inflationary pressure which have pushed up the prices of food and other daily essentials..