Violence and protests continue to erupt along Iran's border with Iraqi Kurdistan, as the country grapples with a worsening economic crisis. For many Iranians, the situation on the ground remains dire.
Behind the scenes of Iran's tightly controlled borders, security forces have been waging an intense crackdown against protesters, meting out severe punishments to those who dare to speak out against the regime.
In one harrowing account, a protester recounted his own ordeal at the hands of Iranian security forces, which had shot him in the face with seven pellets during a protest in central Iran last Friday.
"I was hit in the face by pellet rounds," he said, pointing to several weals and bruises on his face. "They struck above my eyelid, on my forehead, my cheek, my lip, under my ear and along my jaw. I had to use a razor blade to cut one of the pellets out."
Despite widespread claims of government repression, some in the region say that demonstrations have continued, albeit sporadically, with reports emerging from Fardis and Malard, and other parts of Tehran.
But for many Iranians like this teacher from a town close to the border, the economic situation is still a major source of frustration, with salaries often barely stretching over 10 days.
Behind the scenes of Iran's tightly controlled borders, security forces have been waging an intense crackdown against protesters, meting out severe punishments to those who dare to speak out against the regime.
In one harrowing account, a protester recounted his own ordeal at the hands of Iranian security forces, which had shot him in the face with seven pellets during a protest in central Iran last Friday.
"I was hit in the face by pellet rounds," he said, pointing to several weals and bruises on his face. "They struck above my eyelid, on my forehead, my cheek, my lip, under my ear and along my jaw. I had to use a razor blade to cut one of the pellets out."
Despite widespread claims of government repression, some in the region say that demonstrations have continued, albeit sporadically, with reports emerging from Fardis and Malard, and other parts of Tehran.
But for many Iranians like this teacher from a town close to the border, the economic situation is still a major source of frustration, with salaries often barely stretching over 10 days.
, I feel for all those people struggling to make ends meet and having their voices silenced by the government. The fact that security forces are meting out severe punishments to anyone who dares to protest is just heartbreaking 
. And can you even imagine getting hit with 7 pellets in the face? That's insane! 
The economic crisis is real, I've seen friends struggle to pay their bills and it's not easy to deal with. I hope someone can find a way to bring about change and make things more fair for everyone 
. And it's not like the protesters are asking for much, just fair treatment and a better life for themselves and their families. But I guess that's just too hard to ask from someone in power 
. No wonder protests keep popping up!
... I mean, can’t the government do something about the economy? It seems like they're more worried about keeping everyone quiet than actually helping people 
... It's like they think we won't notice or anything 
... Anyways, I hope things get better for Iranians soon 
honestly can't even imagine living in iran right now the whole situation sounds super messed up 
and it's not like they're just random protesters either, it's people who are already struggling to make ends meet because of the economic crisis 
anyway, gotta feel for these Iranians who are just trying to survive but can't even do that without getting caught in the crossfire 
and having to cut out a pellet from their face is literally insane 
like how can the government do this to its own people? 
. They're already struggling so much and then you add this crackdown from the security forces? It's like they're trying to silence everyone 
. And that poor guy who got shot with 7 pellets, oh my god... it's just horrific 
. I mean, what even is the point of having protests if people are just going to get hurt like that 
- everyone's desperate and willing to do whatever it takes to survive. I mean, can you imagine living on like $500 for a whole week? It's crazy! The government needs to step up their game and support the people or risk losing control completely 
.
How hard must it be for them to pay rent, food, and everything else on such a tight budget? And the fact that they're still finding ways to protest despite the risks 
is just really admirable. I wish ppl in other countries could understand what they're going through and try to help more 
. Like, who needs a face with seven pellets? I mean, can't they just have a smooth face like everyone else? 
And what's up with the economic situation in Iran? It sounds super dire... how are people supposed to make ends meet on barely 10 days of salary? 
. those security forces must be getting pretty desensitized if they're shooting ppl with pellet rounds and expecting them to keep quiet 
. And yeah, I can imagine how tough it must be for everyday people to make ends meet, barely getting by on a daily wage of 10 days 
.
7 pellets shot into one face is insane 
. Like, do you really think that's going to make a difference? It just shows how desperate and out of options they feel.
.