Nationwide demonstrations challenging Iran’s ruling system have seen a large number of protesters take to the streets in the capital and the second-largest city of the country well into the early hours of Sunday. The ongoing protests have turned violent, resulting in the deaths of at least 116 individuals, as reported by activists.
Due to the internet shutdown and severed phone lines within Iran, it has become increasingly challenging to monitor the protests from outside the country. However, reports indicate a rising death toll and the detention of 2,600 individuals. Concerns are mounting among international observers that the lack of information may embolden hard-liners within Iran’s security forces to crackdown forcefully on the demonstrators, despite warnings from President Trump that he is prepared to intervene to protect the peaceful protesters.
Videos circulated online from Iran, likely using Starlink satellite technology, depict protesters gathering in the Punak neighborhood of northern Tehran. The footage shows authorities blocking off streets, protesters waving illuminated mobile phones, and engaging in various forms of peaceful demonstration, such as banging on metal objects and honking car horns.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, the protests in the capital have been characterized by dispersed, short-lived gatherings designed to adapt to the heavy security presence and escalating pressure in the field. Reports indicate the use of surveillance drones by security forces to monitor the protests closely.
In Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city located approximately 725 kilometers northeast of Tehran, footage shows confrontations between protesters and security forces, with street obstructions like flaming debris and dumpsters. Mashhad is home to the Imam Reza shrine, a significant site in Shiite Islam.
Protests have also been reported in Kerman, around 800 kilometers southeast of Tehran. Iranian state television showcased calm areas in several cities on Sunday morning, omitting Tehran and Mashhad from their coverage.
In a recent message, Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called on demonstrators to continue their protests on Sunday. Some protesters have expressed support for the shah during the demonstrations, though it remains unclear if this signifies backing for Pahlavi personally or a desire to return to the era before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.