Behind Iran’s deadly blackout: Ruthless crackdown by regime’s religious dictatorship exposed by brave protesters fighting for their freedom and lives
Brave protesters in Iran have managed to bypass the deadly internet blackout put in place by their government to show the world the horrors being unleashed on them as they fight for their freedom and lives.
Anti-government protests have continued on the streets of Iran, despite an escalating crackdown by authorities against the growing movement.
More than 570 protests have taken place across all of Iran’s 31 provinces, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported early Sunday.
Hundreds of demonstrators are feared to have been killed by security forces in Iran this weekend as the regime’s religious dictatorship brutally fights for its survival.
An internet shutdown imposed by authorities on Thursday cut Iranians off from the rest of the world, but footage that has made its way out of the country shows thousands of people protesting on the streets of Tehran.
Shaky videos recorded on mobile phones show them chanting ‘Death to Khamenei,’ in reference to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and: ‘Long live the shah.’
Another leaked clip shows an Iranian man fleeing the scene of a protest after armed security forces descended upon it.
‘Listen to the sound,’ the man says as loud bangs can be heard, ‘they’re massacring people.’
More protests broke out on Saturday night with people rallying in a northern district of Tehran, according to a video verified by AFP.
Many participants held portraits of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last Shah, who told them not to ‘abandon the streets’ because he would ‘soon be by their side’.
A protester in north-eastern Iran seen filming fires burning at a protest whilst demonstrators chants ring across the country
A large crowd seen taking to the streets in Iran’s Ilam province in footage that has been leaked out of the country during the government-imposed internet blackout
Shaky videos recorded on mobile phones show them chanting ‘Death to Khamenei,’ in reference to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and: ‘Long live the shah’
It showed fireworks being set off over Punak Square as demonstrators banged pots and shouted phrases in support of the Pahlavi rulers ousted after the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Crowds also marched through the streets of Mashhad as fires burned around them – a show of defiance in Ayatollah’s hometown after he condemned them as ‘vandals’.
Elsewhere, Mosques and other buildings in Tehran were set alight and Iranians ripped up their national flag in protest against economic hardship, whilst further protests began in several other cities, including Rasht in the north, Tabriz in the north–west and Shiraz and Kerman in the south.
Images also appeared to show a huge fire ripping through a government building in Karaj, near Tehran. But, despite the regime’s internet blackout, evidence is mounting that Iran’s feared security services are launching bloody reprisals.
While three hospitals have claimed that they are overwhelmed with dead and injured patients. One staff member told the BBC that there were so many wounded coming in that there was not enough time to perform CPR on people.
Masih Alinejad, an Iranian activist and journalist, said ‘hundreds of protesters’ had been killed by security forces.
A doctor in Tehran told Time magazine that just six hospitals in the capital had recorded at least 217 protester deaths, ‘most by live ammunition’.
Staff at three hospitals last night told the BBC that their facilities were overwhelmed with dead or injured patients. One medic at a Tehran hospital said there were ‘direct shots to the heads of the young people, to their hearts as well’. The killing of protesters raises the possibility of a military intervention by the US.
The UK Government last night said: ‘We are deeply concerned by reports of violence against protesters in Iran who are exercising their legitimate right to peaceful protest and are monitoring the situation closely.’
Rumours swirled that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was making plans to leave and that other mullahs had fled.
US President Donald Trump said he is ‘ready to help’ protesters facing a crackdown from the Ayatollah’s regime.
In response, Iran warned that any attack would lead to Tehran striking back against and regional US military bases.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf gave the warning in a speech to parliament in the Iranian capital.
Israel is on high alert for the possibility of a US intervention to support a nationwide protest movement in Iran.
Qalibaf made the threat as lawmakers in the Iranian parliament shouted: ‘Death to America.’
Trump last week warned Iran would ‘get hit very hard’ if it repeated the mass killings of previous uprisings.
In a post on his Truth Social network last night, President Trump said: ‘Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!’
It was reported last night that the White House has held ‘preliminary discussions’ on plans for a potential strike against Iran.
Citing unnamed sources, the Wall Street Journal reports said one option on the table is to launch a ‘large–scale aerial strike’ against Iranian military targets.
Elsewhere, Mosques and other buildings in Tehran were set alight and Iranians ripped up their national flag in protest against economic hardship, whilst further protests began in several other cities, including Rasht in the north, Tabriz in the north–west and Shiraz and Kerman in the south
Many participants held portraits of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last Shah, who told them not to ‘abandon the streets’ because he would ‘soon be by their side’
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last Shah, told protesters not to ‘abandon the streets’ because he would ‘soon be by their side’
An internet shutdown imposed by authorities on Thursday cut Iranians off from the rest of the world, but footage that has made its way out of the country shows thousands of people protesting on the streets of Tehran
Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran, on January 9, 2026
The administration reportedly discussed a large-scale aerial strike on multiple military targets.
While several options have been mentioned, officials warned they are a part of normal military planning.
Iranian state television broadcast the parliament session live.
Qalibaf, a hard-liner who has run for the presidency in the past, gave a speech applauding police and Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard for having ‘stood firm’ during the protests.
‘The people of Iran should know that we will deal with them in the most severe way and punish those who are arrested,’ Qalibaf said.
He then made a direct threat towards Israel, which he referred to as ‘the occupied territory’ as well as the US military with a pre-emptive strike.
He said: ‘In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory and all American military centres, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets.’
‘We do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after the action and will act based on any objective signs of a threat.’
Any decision over a war with the US and its allies would rest with Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
It remains unclear how serious Iran is about launching a strike, particularly after much of its air defences were destroyed during the 12-day war with Israel in June.
The US military said it is ‘postured with forces that span the full range of combat capability to defend our forces, our partners and allies and US interests.’
Further protests began in several other cities, including Rasht in the north, Tabriz in the north–west and Shiraz and Kerman in the south
Another leaked clip shows an Iranian man fleeing the scene of a protest after armed security forces descended upon it. ‘Listen to the sound,’ the man says as loud bangs can be heard, ‘they’re massacring people’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio overnight on topics including Iran, an official said.
Protests first erupted on December 28 in response to soaring inflation but quickly turned political, with protesters demanding an end to clerical rule.
Tehran’s mayor claimed that 25 mosques, 26 banks and the headquarters of Basij, a feared branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, were attacked.
Iran’s leaders severed internet connections and telephone lines just after 8pm on Thursday – disconnecting its 85 million people from the rest of the world.
The regime even turned off public lighting last night, plunging huge crowds of protesters into darkness. Demonstrators were said to be using mobile phones to provide light.
