Nationwide protests in Iran have surged into a fourteenth consecutive day, with activists reporting at least 116 people killed and thousands more taking to the streets in defiance of the ruling theocracy. The sustained unrest, marked by scenes of a police station and mosque set on fire, represents one of the most significant challenges to Iran's clerical leadership in years.
Blackout and Bloodshed as Protests Intensify
As the demonstrations crossed the two-week mark, the situation on the ground grew increasingly difficult to verify due to a severe government-imposed internet blackout and cut phone lines. Despite this information vacuum, footage believed to be transmitted via Starlink satellite systems emerged from the country.
Videos from the Punak neighbourhood in northern Tehran showed protesters waving lit mobile phones in darkened streets, banging metal objects, and setting off fireworks. Other clips depicted peaceful marches and drivers honking car horns in solidarity. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency stated that over 2,600 individuals have been detained since the protests began.
"The pattern of protests in the capital has largely taken the form of scattered, short-lived, and fluid gatherings, an approach shaped in response to the heavy presence of security forces," the agency reported. It also noted surveillance drones flying over protest sites and significant movements by security personnel.
Fires and Confrontations Spread to Holy City
The unrest was not confined to the capital. In Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city located 450 miles northeast of Tehran, footage circulated showing direct confrontations between demonstrators and security forces. The streets were blocked by flaming debris and overturned dumpsters.
Significantly, Mashhad is home to the Imam Reza shrine, the holiest site in Shia Islam. The burning of a mosque in the city, as shown in widely shared images, underscores the depth of anger challenging the Islamic Republic's religious authority.
Further protests were reported in the city of Kerman, some 500 miles southeast of Tehran. In a clear attempt to project control, Iranian state television broadcast timestamped reports from several cities on Sunday morning showing calm scenes, but notably omitted any footage from Tehran or Mashhad.
International Warnings and Royalist Echoes
The escalating violence has drawn sharp international concern. Former US President Donald Trump has issued warnings, stating a willingness to strike Iran to protect peaceful demonstrators. In response, Iranian officials have issued their own severe warnings to the US and Israel.
Within the protest movement, some chants have echoed from Iran's pre-revolutionary past, with voices heard supporting the former Shah. Iran's exiled Crown Prince, Reza Pahlavi, called for renewed demonstrations on Sunday. Analysts suggest this may reflect a broader desire to overturn the 1979 revolution's legacy rather than specific support for the monarchy's return.
With communication channels severely restricted, human rights groups abroad fear the blackout could enable an even more brutal crackdown by hardline security forces. As fires light up the night in Iranian cities, the world watches a nation at a critical juncture, with its people demanding change at great personal cost.
