Iranian security forces used tear gas and live ammunition to disperse protesters, rights groups said Thursday, as demonstrations fueled by an economic crisis persisted and exiled opposition groups called for fresh protests and strikes.
Twelve days of protests have shaken the clerical authorities under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, already battling economic crisis after years of sanctions and recovering from the June war against Israel.
The movement, which originated with a shutdown on the Tehran bazaar on Dec. 28 after the rial plunged to record lows, has spread nationwide and is now being marked by larger-scale demonstrations.
Authorities have blamed unrest on "rioters," and the judiciary chief has vowed there would be "no leniency" in bringing them to justice.
On Wednesday, an Iranian police officer was stabbed to death west of Tehran "during efforts to control unrest," the Iranian Fars news agency said.
