A volunteer member of Iran's Revolutionary Guard was killed during ongoing protests in the western province of Lorestan, authorities reported. The 21-year-old Basij force member died Wednesday night, with a provincial official blaming "rioters" and citing economic pressures, inflation, and currency fluctuations as causes for the demonstrations. The incident marks the first reported fatality among security forces during the protests, raising concerns about a potentially harsher response from the government. The protests, initially focused on economic grievances, have spread to various provinces.