Iran Protesters Defy Crackdown Amid Escalating Clashes
Protesters in Iran stood firm against a harsh government crackdown on Saturday night, taking to the streets despite reports of hundreds being killed or wounded by security forces in recent days. Verified videos and witness accounts indicate the government's intensified response, compounded by an ongoing internet blackout. The country's attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, warned that anyone protesting would be deemed an 'enemy of God,' an offence punishable by death. A human rights group reports over 2,500 arrests since the protests began on December 28.
The demonstrations, initially sparked by soaring inflation, have expanded to more than 100 cities and towns across every Iranian province. Protesters are now demanding an end to the clerical rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has dismissed them as 'vandals' looking to please US President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Trump has threatened severe retaliation if Iran 'starts killing people.' Iran's Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, warned that any US attack would make American bases and Israel legitimate targets for Iran.
As unrest grows, the casualty count continues to climb. Reports from BBC sources and US-based Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA) indicate that over 100 people, including security personnel, have died. Hospital staff have been overwhelmed, with BBC Persian verifying the receipt of 70 bodies at Rasht city hospital on Friday and a health worker reporting around 38 deaths at a Tehran hospital.
The BBC, along with other international outlets, faces reporting challenges due to the Iranian government's internet restrictions and ban on foreign media. Despite this, some video footage is emerging. Verified videos from Saturday capture protesters in Tehran's Gisha district and clashes in Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city. The footage shows masked protesters taking cover behind wheelie bins and bonfires, with security forces visible in the distance. Scenes include a bus engulfed in flames, sounds of gunfire, and people banging on pots and pans.
Further footage from Puank Square in west Tehran and the Heravi district in north-east Tehran shows large groups protesting and calling for the end of clerical rule. As part of the government's attempt to quell protests, internet access has been restricted more severely than during the 2022 'Women, Life, Freedom' uprising, with significant limitations on both the global internet and Iran's domestic network.