3 Children Killed, 40 Minors Arrested As Protests Against Iranian Regime Intensifies

Last Updated:January 05, 2026, 18:10 IST

The protests have spread to at least 78 cities and 222 locations, with demonstrators calling for the end of the regime, HRAI reports.

The protests continued during the weekend despite a crackdown after country’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, addressed protesters as “rioters”. (AFP)

At least three children were killed and over 40 minors arrested as protests against the regime in Iran continued for the past eight days.

According to the US-based Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI), 990 people have been arrested and at least 20 killed during a week of unrest in Iran, a rights group said on Sunday, as protests spread across the country, sparking violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

The uprising was sparked by the collapse of the country’s currency and rising living costs. The protests have spread to at least 78 cities and 222 locations, with demonstrators calling for the end of the regime, the HRAI stated.

The protests continued during the weekend despite a crackdown after the country’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, addressed protesters as “rioters".

According to The Guardian, the minors reportedly killed included Mostafa Falahi, a 15-year-old from the city of Azna, in central Iran. The Oslo-based Hengaw Organization for Human Rights said the boy was killed by the security forces during a fire on protesters on January 1.

The group also recorded the death of 17-year-old Rasul Kadivarian, who was killed along with his 20-year-old brother, Reza, on January 3 by security forces who fired directly on protesters in Kermanshah.

However, the identity of the third deceased, a 17-year-old, has not been established.

The Guardian quoted Skylar Thompson, deputy director of HRAI, saying that the group had documented the killings, as well as the arrests of at least 44 children.

“These numbers provide clear evidence that youth are present throughout the ongoing protests. The indiscriminate targeting of a civilian population must be widely condemned as a violation of international law, especially with the clear illustration of children present," he said.

The Guardian quoted a witness from the district of Malekshahi, in Ilam, western Iran, saying: “We then gathered in front of a government building. That was when the forces opened fire on us. It felt as if they were shooting at enemies or armed groups. I felt like I was in a war zone. I saw several people injured, and I believe some were killed on the spot. We tried to take the wounded to hospitals and prevent government forces from arresting injured protesters."

Awyar Shekhi from Hengaw Organization said: “State forces are firing directly at gatherings and protests without regard for whether those targeted are children or adults. The crackdowns are brutal: tear gas and military-grade weapons are being used, and detainees are severely beaten before being transferred to undisclosed locations."

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