Iran's theocratic regime is facing immense and sustained pressure as widespread protests enter a third week, accompanied by a severe nationwide internet blackout and reports that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is making plans to flee the country.
Nationwide Unrest and a Digital Siege
Desperate scenes have unfolded across Iran, with buildings set ablaze, cars overturned, and chants of 'death to the dictator' echoing through the streets. In a drastic move to quell dissent and control information, the clerical establishment has severed nearly all of the nation's internet access, cutting off some 90 million citizens from the global web. Connectivity has been reduced to a mere one per cent, with phone lines cut and digital payment systems shut down.
The authorities have even deployed military technology in an attempt to block Elon Musk's Starlink satellite service. Despite this digital siege, demonstrations have reportedly spread to all 31 of Iran's provinces.
Mounting Casualties and International Reaction
According to human rights activists monitoring the situation, the death toll from the crackdown has risen to at least 62 people, with more than 2,300 individuals detained since the uprising began a fortnight ago. Protesters who spoke to international media described having 'nothing to lose' after decades of religious rule, citing dire living conditions.
In London, Downing Street issued a call for Iranian authorities to 'exercise restraint'. Former UK security minister Tom Tugendhat went further, predicting the regime's fall was a question of 'when rather than if'. Conservative Party figure Kemi Badenoch stated: 'We stand with the Iranian people who want a secular, democratic Iran.'
Khamenei's Accusations and Rumours of Flight
In his first public address since the crisis began, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei pointed the finger directly at the United States. He told state television: 'Trump's hands are stained with the blood of Iranians. This man said he ordered it and commanded it. So he confessed that his hands are stained with Iranian blood.' He labelled protesters 'vandals and rioters' acting as 'mercenaries for foreigners'.
However, former US President Donald Trump claimed the Ayatollah was 'looking to go some place', suggesting Moscow as a potential sanctuary. Trump reiterated previous threats, warning that the US was 'ready to hit them hard' if the regime launched a violent crackdown. The claims follow a meeting between Khamenei and Russian President Vladimir Putin last year.
Adding to the pressure on the regime, Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran's last Shah, publicly appealed for Trump's support. Pahlavi, who was exiled aged 15 after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, could potentially receive backing to return, and has promised a democratic future for Iran.
As the internet remains stifled, first-hand accounts from within Iran paint a grim picture. One protester, interviewed via a think-tank, revealed: 'I was detained for several days and abused repeatedly... Protesters are being shot with live ammunition and the wounded arrested in their hospital beds. This is a war by the government against its people.' The world watches as one of the Middle East's most entrenched regimes battles for its survival against the will of its own citizens.
