Protests in Iran are still going strong after three weeks, with people in Tehran, Mashhad, and other cities standing up to a harsh security crackdown. Reports say that more than 544 people have died. The unrest, which was caused by rising prices, has grown into widespread calls to remove Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. These are the biggest protests since the 1979 revolution.
Activists and human rights groups say that security forces, including the IRGC and Basij, have fired live bullets at crowds, killing hundreds in just the last few days. Starlink smuggled videos show protesters in Tehran’s Punak neighborhood waving lit phones and hitting authorities with metal, while fighting broke out in Mashhad and Kerman. The death toll, which has been confirmed at 544 but could be much higher because of a lack of information, has caused outrage around the world, including from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who condemned the use of too much force.
Iran shut down the internet for almost 84 hours, cutting connectivity to just 1% of normal levels to stop people from organizing. But protesters are still using satellite technology. Tehran said there would be three days of mourning for “martyrs,” which included security personnel. Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi told people to raise flags from before the revolution and take over city centers. This led to chants of “Death to Khamenei” and “Long live the shah.”
Amnesty International is looking into the use of deadly force against unarmed crowds, while the US-based rights group counted the rising number of deaths. Protests in other countries showed support for the Iranian protesters, and veteran analysts called this the biggest uprising since 1979. As hardliners push for a bloody crackdown, the regime’s stability is at risk because of economic problems and anger from young people.
