DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A volunteer member of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard was killed in a western province during widening demonstrations sparked by the Islamic Republic's ailing economy, authorities said Thursday, marking the first fatality among security forces during the protests.
The death Wednesday night of the 21-year-old volunteer in the Guard's Basij force may mark the start of a heavier-handed response by Iran's theocracy over the demonstrations, which have slowed in the capital, Tehran, but expanded to other provinces.
The state-run IRNA news agency reported on the Guard member’s death but did not elaborate. An Iranian news agency called the Student News Network, believed to be close to the Basij, directly blamed demonstrators for the Guard member's death, citing comments from Saeed Pourali, a deputy governor in Iran's Lorestan province.
The Guard member “was martyred ... at the hands of rioters during protests in this city in defense of public order,” he reportedly said. Another 13 Basij members and police officers suffered injuries, he added.
“The protests that have occurred are due to economic pressures, inflation and currency fluctuations, and are an expression of livelihood concerns," Pourali said. "The voices of citizens must be heard carefully and tactfully, but people must not allow their demands to be strained by profit-seeking individuals.”
The protests took place in the city of Kouhdasht, over 400 kilometers (250 miles) southwest of Tehran.
Iran's civilian government under reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has been trying to signal it wants to negotiate with protesters. However, Pezeshkian has acknowledged there is not much he can do as Iran's rial currency has rapidly depreciated, with $1 now costing some 1.4 million rials.
Meanwhile, state television separately reported on the arrests of seven people, including five it described as monarchists and two others it said had linked to European-based groups. State TV also said another operation saw security forces confiscate 100 smuggled pistols, without elaborating.
The protests have become the biggest in Iran since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. However, the demonstrations have yet to be countrywide and have not been as intense as those surrounding the death of Amini, who was detained over not wearing her hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities.
Iran's theocracy had declared Wednesday a public holiday across much of the country, citing cold weather, likely as a bid to get people out of the capital for a long weekend. The Iranian weekend is Thursday and Friday, while Saturday marks Imam Ali's birthday, another holiday for many.
The protests, taking root in economic issues, have heard demonstrators chant against Iran's theocracy as well. The country's leaders are still reeling after Israel launched a 12-day war against the country in June. The U.S. also bombed Iranian nuclear sites during the war.
Iran has said it is no longer enriching uranium at any site in the country, trying to signal to the West that it remains open to potential negotiations over its atomic program to ease sanctions. However, those talks have yet to happen as U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have warned Tehran against reconstituting its atomic program.
Protesters march in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Fars News Agency via AP)
Protesters march in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Fars News Agency via AP)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ryan Day and his Ohio State coaching staff spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to deal with the long break between the Big Ten championship and the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
Regardless, another bye bites the dust, and these Buckeyes won't win the school's first back-to-back national championships.
No. 10 Miami held on for a 24-14 victory in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal Wednesday night, taking a two-touchdown halftime lead and bouncing the third-ranked Buckeyes (12-2, No. 2 CFP seed) a year after Ohio State had to play in the first round and won four playoff games on the way to the title.
This time, there were 25 days between the 13-10 loss to top-ranked and top-seeded Indiana and what ended up being a second consecutive defeat for a team that enjoyed a perfect regular season.
“At the end of the day, we didn't execute the way that we needed to to win the game,” two-time All-America safety Caleb Downs said. “That's what it is. We can't change it now.”
The Buckeyes tried to change the fate of teams with first-round byes in the second year of the 12-team playoff format.
Instead, the teams that wait a little longer are 0-5, and the Hurricanes (12-2, CFP No. 10 seed) are moving on after barely making the field as an at-large team that didn't play in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game. Miami, in its first CFP, won 13-10 at Texas A&M in the first round Dec. 20.
These first-round byes are different. A year ago, two teams were lower seeds. This time, the top four seeds got passes to the quarterfinals. Indiana, No. 3 Georgia and fourth-seeded Texas Tech play their quarterfinals Thursday.
“We worked really hard during the last three weeks leading up to this game to come out of the gates and win the first quarter, win the first half, be ready to go,” Day said. “At the end of the day, we didn’t get it done. I take responsibility for not getting the guys ready.”
Redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin reflected the rust, throwing a 72-yard pick-6 for a 14-0 deficit early in the second quarter while getting sacked three times.
Sayin and All-America receiver Jeremiah Smith connected on a 59-yard pass that didn't result in points in a scoreless first half for the Buckeyes. That pair got Ohio State moving after the break, and within 17-14 on Smith's 14-yard scoring catch on fourth-and-2 early in the fourth quarter.
After Ohio State's next drive stalled, Miami kept the ball for most of the last six minutes against one of the best defenses in the country. The Buckeyes were in desperation mode in the final minute when Sayin threw a game-sealing interception, his second.
“It still hasn’t really hit me,” said senior defensive end Caden Curry, who was part of a 28-14 CFP semifinal victory over Texas in the Cotton Bowl almost a year ago. “I am still in my jersey and my pads, but yeah I know I’ll never be able to play another game for this school.”
Smith ended up with 157 yards on seven catches, and his 538 yards receiving in five playoff games are 21 yards shy of former Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith's CFP record.
Sayin, the Heisman Trophy finalist who led FBS in completion percentage, was much more efficient in the second half, before the final interception when he was hit as he threw. The sluggish first half was just too much to overcome.
“When you have a start the way that we did, you put yourself at risk of having to be really darn near perfect in the second half to go win the game,” Day said. “We put ourselves behind the 8 ball.”
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Ohio State head coach Ryan Day looks o during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Miami Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding, with Joe McGuire holding, misses a field goal against Miami during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin reacts after throwing a touchdown pass against Miami during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Ohio State defensive end Caden Curry looks on during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Miami Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Miami defensive back Jakobe Thomas, right, makes a tackle on Ohio State tight end Will Kacmarek during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, center, gets away from Miami defensive lineman David Blay Jr. (11) and defensive back Ja'Boree Antoine (16) to score a touchdown on a pass from quarterback Julian Sayin, not visible, during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
