Australia on Wednesday updated its travel advisory, urging citizens to leave Iran "as soon as possible". The government warned of violent protests and a "volatile" security situation across the country. "If you're in Iran, you should leave as soon as possible," the advisory stated. Nationwide protests began on December 28, sparked by rising living costs and merchant shutdowns in Tehran. The unrest has spread, especially to western regions with Kurdish and Lor minorities. According to the Iran Human Rights group, at least 27 protesters, including five minors under 18, have been killed. Iranian authorities also reported deaths among security forces, including a policeman shot dead on Tuesday. This uprising is Iran's most serious since the 2022–2023 protests over Mahsa Amini’s death in custody. While not yet as large as past nationwide or 2009 election protests, it highlights growing economic pressures. President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered security forces not to crack down on economic protests. Vice President Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah said in a cabinet meeting video, "The president had ordered that no security measures be taken against the demonstrators." However, he added, "Those who carry firearms, knives and machetes and who attack police stations and military sites are rioters, and we must distinguish protesters from rioters."