A member of Iran's security forces was killed during protests that have swept across the country since last week, state television reported on Thursday citing a regional official.
Shopkeepers and traders walk over a bridge during a protest against the economic conditions and Iran's embattled currency in Tehran on December 29. Photos by AFP
"A 21-year-old member of the Basij from the city of Kouhdasht was killed last night (Wednesday) by rioters while defending public order," the channel said, citing Said Pourali, the deputy governor of Lorestan Province.
A government building in southern Iran was attacked on Wednesday, authorities said, as the country's top prosecutor warned of a "decisive response" to any attempt to create instability after days of economic protests.
Spontaneous protests, driven by dissatisfaction at Iran's economic stagnation, began on Sunday in Tehran's largest mobile phone market, where shopkeepers shuttered their businesses, and have since drawn in students across the country.
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