Imagine facing death for simply speaking your mind. That's the stark reality in Iran right now, where protesters are risking everything in the face of a brutal government crackdown. Despite the grave danger, they're refusing to be silenced, and videos emerging from the country paint a picture of escalating violence.
Saturday night saw Iranian protesters defying a deadly government crackdown. They took to the streets despite reports suggesting hundreds have been killed or wounded by security forces in just the past three days. This defiance comes at a perilous moment, as the government seems to be intensifying its response while simultaneously imposing a near-total internet blackout, effectively cutting off the flow of information to and from the outside world. But here's where it gets controversial... Is shutting down the internet truly about maintaining order, or is it a calculated move to hide the extent of the government's actions and prevent international scrutiny?
Mohammad Movahedi Azad, Iran's attorney general, chillingly declared on Saturday that any protester would be considered an "enemy of God" – a charge punishable by death. Think about that for a moment: expressing dissent, calling for change, could cost you your life. Since the protests began over two weeks ago, hundreds are believed to have already been killed or injured, with countless more detained. The situation is dire, and the stakes couldn't be higher.
These protests, initially sparked by soaring inflation that has crippled the Iranian economy, have now spread to over 100 cities and towns across every province in the country. But the underlying issue is much more profound. Now, protesters are demanding an end to the clerical rulership of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They're challenging the very foundation of the Iranian government.
The Iranian government's internet shutdown is a key part of its strategy to suppress the protests. Iran's data infrastructure is tightly controlled by the state and its security apparatus. Internet access is largely confined to a domestic intranet, with only limited and heavily monitored connections to the outside world. Over the past few years, the government has been progressively tightening its grip on internet access. However, during this current wave of protests, authorities have taken unprecedented measures, not only shutting down access to the global internet but also severely restricting the domestic intranet. And this is the part most people miss... This level of control highlights the government's fear of information spreading and its determination to maintain its narrative.
Alireza Manafi, an internet researcher speaking with BBC Persian, stated that the current shutdown is even more severe than the one imposed during the "Women, Life, Freedom" uprising three years ago. He described internet access in Iran, in any form, as "almost completely down." He suggested that the only viable way to connect to the outside world might be through Starlink, but cautioned users to be extremely careful, as such connections could potentially be traced by the government. This raises a critical question: Is the Iranian government capable of tracking and identifying individuals using Starlink, and what measures could they take against them?
The BBC and most other international news organizations are unable to report directly from inside Iran, which makes it extremely difficult to obtain and verify information independently. This lack of access creates a vacuum where misinformation can easily spread, and the true extent of the situation remains obscured. Nonetheless, some video footage has managed to surface, and the BBC has been able to speak to people on the ground, providing glimpses into the reality of the protests.
Verified video from Saturday night showed protesters taking control of the streets in Tehran's Gisha district. Several videos, verified and confirmed as recent by BBC Verify, depict clashes between protesters and security forces on Vakil Abad Boulevard in Mashhad, Iran's second largest city. The footage shows masked protesters taking cover behind wheelie bins and bonfires, while a line of security forces stands in the distance. A vehicle, appearing to be a bus, is engulfed in flames. Multiple gunshots and the sound of banging on pots and pans can be heard as a green laser beam illuminates the scene. A figure standing on a nearby footbridge appears to fire multiple gunshots in several directions, while others take cover behind a fence on the side of the boulevard. These images paint a vivid picture of the chaos and violence erupting across the country.
Other videos have emerged from the capital, Tehran. One video, authenticated by BBC Verify, shows a large group of protesters and the sound of banging on pots in Punak Square in west Tehran, a hotspot for protests this week. Another clip, filmed in the Heravi district in north-east Tehran and confirmed by BBC Persian and BBC Verify, shows a crowd of protesters marching on a road and calling for the end of the clerical establishment. The use of pots and pans, a traditional form of protest, highlights the deep-seated frustration and anger felt by the Iranian people.
On Saturday, then US President Donald Trump posted on social media: "Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!" He didn't provide specifics, but US media reported that Trump had been briefed on options for military strikes in the country. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported the briefings, with the Journal describing them as "preliminary discussions." An unnamed official told the WSJ there was no "imminent threat" to Iran. Last year, the US conducted airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. This raises an important question: What constitutes "help" in this situation, and what are the potential consequences of external intervention?
Then US Senator Lindsey Graham posted several times on social media in support of the protests, writing: "To the Iranian people: your long nightmare is soon coming to a close." He added that their "bravery and determination to end your oppression" had been "noticed" by the US president and that "Help is on the way." Earlier, he stated: "To the regime leadership: your brutality against the great people of Iran will not go unchallenged." These statements, while supportive, also carry the risk of further inflaming tensions and potentially providing the Iranian government with propaganda to portray the protests as externally driven.
As dawn broke on Sunday in Iran, Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last shah (king), whose return protesters have been calling for, posted a video to X. The caption read: "Know that you are not alone. Your compatriots around the world are proudly shouting your voice... In particular, President Trump, as the leader of the free world, has carefully observed your indescribable bravery and has announced that he is ready to help you." He added: "I know that I will soon be by your side." Pahlavi, based in the US, has been urging people to take to the streets and claims he is preparing to return to the country. He also claimed the Islamic republic was facing a "severe shortage of mercenaries" and that "many armed and security forces have left their workplaces or disobeyed orders to suppress the people." The BBC could not verify these claims. Pahlavi encouraged people to continue protesting on Sunday evening, but to stay in groups or with crowds and not "endanger your lives." The role of exiled figures like Pahlavi is complex and controversial. Does their involvement amplify the voices of the protesters, or does it provide the Iranian government with ammunition to discredit the movement as foreign-backed?
Amnesty International said it was analyzing "distressing reports that security forces had intensified their unlawful use of lethal force against protesters" since Thursday. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said those speaking out against Khamenei's government should not face "the threat of violence or reprisals." These statements from international organizations and governments highlight the growing concern over the human rights situation in Iran and the need for increased scrutiny and accountability.
Since Friday night, staff at three hospitals have told the BBC they had been overwhelmed with casualties. The BBC Persian service has verified that 70 bodies were brought to just one hospital in Rasht city on Friday night. BBC Persian has confirmed the identities of 26 people killed, including six children. Members of the security forces have also been killed, with one human rights group putting the number at 14. A hospital worker in Tehran described "very horrible scenes," saying there were so many wounded that staff did not have time to perform CPR, and that morgues did not have enough room to store the bodies of those who had died. "Around 38 people died. Many as soon as they reached the emergency beds... direct shots to the heads of the young people, to their hearts as well. Many of them didn't even make it to the hospital." The hospital worker said the dead or wounded were young people, "Couldn't look at many of them, they were 20-25 years old." These firsthand accounts from inside hospitals paint a horrifying picture of the human cost of the crackdown and the immense strain on the Iranian healthcare system.
The protests have been the most widespread since the 2022 uprising sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman detained by morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly. More than 550 people were killed and 20,000 detained by security forces over several months, according to human rights groups. The current protests build upon the frustrations and grievances that fueled the earlier uprising, suggesting a deeper and more systemic crisis within Iranian society.
What do you think? Can the Iranian government maintain its grip on power in the face of such widespread dissent? Is external intervention justified, and if so, what form should it take? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.
