Protests in Iran attain new top – web entry restricted | EUROtoday

As of: January 9, 2026 1:07 a.m

Tear fuel, masked demonstrators and burning automobiles: the protests in Iran have reached a brand new stage of escalation. According to reviews, the authorities had beforehand massively restricted web entry for the inhabitants.

The largest demonstrations for the reason that begin of the most recent wave of protests occurred in Iran on Friday night time – as footage on social networks present. Numerous folks gathered within the capital Tehran. Other photos confirmed a protesting crowd within the western Iranian metropolis of Abadan, because the AFP information company reported.

Eyewitnesses reported safety forces utilizing tear fuel towards masked demonstrators. Videos from activists confirmed burning automobiles.

Protests for twelve days

Persian-language exile broadcasters additionally broadcast footage of great protests from different Iranian cities, together with Tabriz within the north of the nation and the spiritual middle of Mashhad. Mashhad is dwelling to some of the vital shrines in Shiite Islam.

In Tabriz, folks shouted “Long live Pahlavi” in reference to the Shah’s son, in keeping with recordings on on-line networks. Demonstrators repeatedly shouted slogans calling for the overthrow of the Islamic republic, together with “Pahlavi will return” – a reference to Reza Pahlavi, the son of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was overthrown within the 1979 Islamic revolution.

The protests have now been happening for twelve days. They have been ignited by anger over the excessive price of residing and the poor financial state of affairs. Since the wave of protests started on December twenty eighth, there have been gatherings in at the very least 50 cities and cities, particularly within the west of the nation.

Almost extra full “Internet-Blackout”

The London-based group NetBlocks additionally introduced on Thursday that the Iranian authorities had blocked the Internet and that the nation was now in an “almost complete nationwide Internet blackout.” The Shah’s son Pahlavi, who’s lively within the Iranian exile opposition, had beforehand introduced that the management in Tehran was “deeply frightened” and would minimize off the Internet. He had known as for additional protests on Thursday night.

The web blockage is paying homage to the state’s actions round six years in the past: At that point, folks have been primarily protesting due to rising gasoline costs. The state imposed an almost week-long lockdown, throughout which human rights activists estimate a whole bunch of protesters have been killed.

Trump threatens management once more

In view of the most recent wave of protests, US President Donald Trump repeated his beforehand expressed threats towards the management in Tehran. “I made it clear to them that if they start killing people, which they often do in their riots – and they have a lot of riots – we will crack down,” Trump stated in an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.

According to the most recent info from the Norway-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR), at the very least 45 demonstrators have been killed for the reason that protests started, together with eight minors. Iranian authorities and media have reported 21 deaths up to now, together with safety forces.