On this body seize from video obtained by the AP exterior Iran, a masked demonstrator holds an image of Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi throughout a protest in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 9. AP-Yonhap
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Protests sweeping throughout Iran reached the two-week mark early Sunday, with the nation’s authorities acknowledging the continued demonstrations regardless of an intensifying crackdown and because the Islamic Republic stays reduce off from the remainder of the world .
With the web down in Iran and telephone traces reduce off, gauging the demonstrations from overseas has grown harder. However the loss of life toll within the protests has grown to not less than 72 folks killed and over 2,300 others detained, based on the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists Information Company. Iranian state TV is reporting on safety power casualties whereas portraying management over the nation.
Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has signaled a coming clampdown, regardless of U.S. warnings. Tehran escalated its threats Saturday, with the Iran’s legal professional basic, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, warning that anybody participating in protests can be thought of an “enemy of God,” a death-penalty cost. The assertion carried by Iranian state tv mentioned even those that “helped rioters” would face the cost.
“Prosecutors should fastidiously and at once, by issuing indictments, put together the grounds for the trial and decisive confrontation with those that, by betraying the nation and creating insecurity, search overseas domination over the nation,” the assertion learn. “Proceedings have to be carried out with out leniency, compassion or indulgence.”
U.S. President Donald Trump provided assist for the protesters, saying on social media that “Iran is FREEDOM, maybe like by no means earlier than. The USA stands prepared to assist!!!”
The State Division individually warned: “Don’t play video games with President Trump. When he says he’ll do one thing, he means it.”
Saturday marked the beginning of the work week in Iran, however many faculties and universities reportedly held on-line courses, Iranian state TV reported. Inside Iranian authorities web sites are believed to be functioning.
State TV repeatedly performed a driving, martial orchestral association from the “Epic of Khorramshahr” by Iranian composer Majid Entezami , whereas displaying pro-government demonstrations. The tune, aired repeatedly in the course of the 12-day struggle launched by Israel, honors Iran’s 1982 liberation of the town of Khorramshahr in the course of the Iran-Iraq struggle. It has been utilized in movies of protesting girls reducing away their hair to protest the 2022 loss of life of Mahsa Amini as nicely.
It additionally repeatedly aired video of purported protesters taking pictures at safety forces with firearms.
“Discipline reviews point out that peace prevailed in most cities of the nation at night time,” a state TV anchor reported Saturday morning. “After plenty of armed terrorists attacked public locations and set fireplace to folks’s non-public property final night time, there was no information of any gathering or chaos in Tehran and most provinces final night time.”
On this body seize from video taken by a person not employed by The Related Press and obtained by the AP exterior Iran exhibits a hearth as folks protest in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 9. AP-Yonhap
That was immediately contradicted by a web-based video verified by The Related Press that confirmed demonstrations in northern Tehran’s Saadat Abad space, with what gave the impression to be 1000’s on the road.
“Loss of life to Khamenei!” a person chanted.
The semiofficial Fars information company, believed to be near Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and one of many few media shops in a position to publish to the surface world, launched surveillance digicam footage of what it mentioned got here from demonstrations in Isfahan. In it, a protester appeared to fireside a protracted gun, whereas others set fires and threw gasoline bombs at what gave the impression to be a authorities compound.
The Younger Journalists’ Membership, related to state TV, reported that protesters killed three members of the Guard’s all-volunteer Basij power within the metropolis of Gachsaran. It additionally reported a safety official was stabbed to loss of life in Hamadan province, a police officer killed within the port metropolis of Bandar Abbas and one other in Gilan, in addition to one particular person slain in Mashhad.
The semiofficial Tasnim information company, additionally near the Guard, claimed authorities detained almost 200 folks belonging to what it described as “operational terrorist groups.” It alleged these arrested had weapons together with firearms, grenades and gasoline bombs.
State tv additionally aired footage of a funeral service attended by tons of in Qom, a Shiite seminary metropolis simply south of Tehran.
Iran’s theocracy reduce off the nation from the web and worldwide phone calls on Thursday, although it allowed some state-owned and semiofficial media to publish. Qatar’s state-funded Al Jazeera information community reported dwell from Iran, however they gave the impression to be the one main overseas outlet in a position to work.
Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi , who referred to as for protests Thursday and Friday, requested in his newest message for demonstrators to take to the streets Saturday and Sunday. He urged protesters to hold Iran’s previous lion-and-sun flag and different nationwide symbols used in the course of the time of the shah to “declare public areas as your individual.”
Pahlavi’s assist of and from Israel has drawn criticism up to now — notably after the 12-day struggle. Demonstrators have shouted in assist of the shah in some protests, however it isn’t clear whether or not that’s assist for Pahlavi himself or a want to return to a time earlier than the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Protesters take part in an indication in Berlin, Germany, Jan. 10, in assist of the nationwide mass protests in Iran towards the federal government. AP-Yonhap
On-line video purported to indicate protests ongoing Saturday night time as nicely.
The demonstrations started Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial foreign money, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, because the nation’s economic system is squeezed by worldwide sanctions partially levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls immediately difficult Iran’s theocracy.
Airways have canceled some flights into Iran over the demonstrations. Austrian Airways mentioned Saturday it had determined to droop its flights to Iran “as a precautionary measure” via Monday. Turkish Airways earlier introduced the cancellation of 17 flights to a few cities in Iran.
In the meantime, concern is rising that the web shutdown will enable Iran’s safety forces to go on a bloody crackdown, as they’ve in different rounds of demonstrations. Ali Rahmani, the son of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi who’s imprisoned in Iran, famous that safety forces killed tons of in a 2019 protest “so we will solely worry the worst.”
“They’re combating, and dropping their lives, towards a dictatorial regime,” Rahmani mentioned.
