WANA (Jan 07) – According to field reports, a gathering of approximately 300 people took place on Tuesday afternoon, January 6, in Vali Asr Square in the city of Abdanan, located in Ilam Province in western Iran.

 

The gathering initially focused on economic grievances, including rising prices, and later moved toward Basij Square. Observations indicate that additional individuals joined the crowd along the route.

 

While early chants were largely economic in nature, some slogans later took on political tones as the number of participants increased. Following this shift, a portion of the initial demonstrators left the scene and did not continue participating.

 

By around 7:00 p.m. local time, as the crowd thinned, small groups in several parts of the city—including areas near Vali Asr Square and Imam Ali Square—engaged in acts of vandalism targeting public property. Reports indicate damage to several banks, traffic signs, and trash bins.

 

Witnesses also reported attacks on a number of commercial establishments, including several large retail stores, during which goods were damaged or removed from the premises. These incidents resulted in losses involving essential consumer products.

 

In the days leading up to the unrest, some businesses in the city had temporarily closed due to security concerns. However, a number of shops remained open and continued operating during the events.

 

As the damage escalated, security forces intervened to restore order and used tear gas to disperse those involved. Following the intervention, individuals in the area dispersed into nearby streets and side alleys.

 

Field observations up to around 11:00 p.m. indicated that relative calm had returned to Abdanan’s main streets. Law enforcement units were deployed across key areas of the city, and reports suggested that the overall security situation was under control, with normal traffic resuming and no major disruptions reported by the end of the night.

LATEST UPDATES ON PROTEST GATHERINGS IN IRAN – JAN 24

WANA – Our team is closely monitoring the latest developments regarding protests in Iran and sharing key updates here. ……………………… Due to the internet shutdown in Iran, we were unable to provide timely updates over the past few days. Access has improved somewhat, and we will resume sharing news from Iran as quickly as possible. […]

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