Iran rocked by deadly protests over economic crisis; 3 killed in clashes with police

• At least three people, including a Basij member, killed in Iran as protests over high prices and economic slump escalate into clashes with security forces.
• Protests began in Tehran with shopkeepers' strike, spreading to Lordegan, Kouhdasht, Marvdasht, and other provinces.
• Demonstrators hurled stones at administrative buildings; police responded with tear gas and arrested "ringleaders."
• Iran's economy faces 40% inflation, a devalued rial, and ongoing Western sanctions, exacerbated by recent US and Israeli airstrikes.
• President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged "legitimate demands," while the prosecutor general warned against insecurity, linking some protesters to "hostile groups."

Why It Matters: Iran faces a deepening crisis as economic hardship fuels deadly protests and government crackdown.