Iran Protests: Tear Gas Hits Hospital Amid Cost of Living Unrest; Deaths Mount

• Security forces fired tear gas during protests in Tehran over rising cost of living, with some gas drifting towards Sina Hospital.
• Authorities deny deliberately targeting the hospital, stating the gas drifted unintentionally from an adjacent alley.
• The ongoing unrest has led to at least 27 protester deaths, including five minors, according to NGO Iran Human Rights.
• A policeman, Ehsan Aghajani, was killed in Iran's western Ilam province, as protests intensify and spread.
• These demonstrations are Iran's largest since the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests but have not reached the same scale.

Why It Matters: Iran faces escalating protests over living costs, marked by tear gas near hospitals and rising casualties.