Protests sweeping across Iran entered their second week Saturday, as the government acknowledged the ongoing demonstrations despite an intensifying crackdown and a near-total communications blackout. The Islamic Republic has cut itself off from the rest of the world by shutting down internet access and phone lines, making independent verification of events increasingly difficult.
Escalating Violence and Threats
According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 72 people have been killed and over 2,300 detained in the protests. Iranian state TV reports on casualties among security forces while simultaneously portraying a narrative of control. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has signaled a coming clampdown, even as the U.S. has issued warnings.
Mohammad Movahedi Azad, Iran’s attorney general, warned Saturday that anyone participating in protests would be considered an “enemy of God,” a charge that carries the death penalty. The statement, broadcast on Iranian state television, extended this charge to anyone “helping rioters.” Prosecutors were instructed to pursue “decisive confrontation” without “leniency, compassion or indulgence.”
International Response and Information Warfare
U.S. President Donald Trump offered support for the protesters on social media, stating, “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!” The State Department issued a separate warning: “Do not play games with President Trump. When he says he’ll do something, he means it.”
State TV is actively shaping the narrative, repeatedly broadcasting the “Epic of Khorramshahr” alongside pro-government demonstrations. It has also aired footage purporting to show protesters firing at security forces. However, this account is contradicted by video verified by The Associated Press showing demonstrations in northern Tehran, where protesters chanted “Death to Khamenei!”
Conflicting Reports and Arrests
The semiofficial Fars news agency, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, released surveillance footage from Isfahan allegedly showing protesters setting fires and attacking a government compound. Other reports from state-affiliated media claim protesters killed three members of the Basij force in Gachsaran and security personnel in Hamadan, Bandar Abbas, Gilan, and Mashhad. Authorities claim to have detained nearly 200 people described as “operational terrorist teams” allegedly armed with firearms and explosives.
Despite the communications blackout, Qatar’s Al Jazeera remains the only major foreign news outlet reporting live from within Iran. Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has called for continued protests, urging demonstrators to display the lion-and-sun flag of the pre-1979 monarchy.
Economic Roots and Potential Trajectory
The protests began December 28th in response to the collapse of the Iranian rial, which currently trades at over 1.4 million to $1. The economic pressure stems in part from international sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program. The demonstrations have since broadened into direct challenges to the country’s theocratic government.
Austrian and Turkish Airlines have canceled flights to Iran as a precaution. Concerns are growing that the internet shutdown will facilitate a violent crackdown by security forces, mirroring past responses to protests, including the killing of hundreds in 2019. Ali Rahmani, son of imprisoned Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi, stated, “They are fighting, and losing their lives, against a dictatorial regime.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What prompted the initial protests?
The demonstrations began December 28th over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1.
What is the Iranian government’s response to the protests?
The government has acknowledged the demonstrations but is enacting an intensifying crackdown, including shutting down internet and phone access and threatening protesters with the death penalty.
What is the role of the United States in this situation?
U.S. President Donald Trump has offered support for the protesters, and the State Department has warned against underestimating his commitment to action.
What will be the long-term impact of these protests on Iran’s political landscape?
