Fears of dozens dead as Iran is hit by the largest protests in years

In recent years, the largest anti – government demonstrations in Iran intensified on Friday night. As the authorities strive to suppress the protests, concerns about an increasing number of fatalities are growing.

Amid a blanket and telecommunications networks, social – media footage gradually emerging from Iran showed that hundreds of thousands of people were marching and chanting anti – regime slogans across the country, along with graphic scenes of bloodied bodies. Other clips indicated that many of the protesters were elderly.

Separate mobile – camera footage from Fardis, a city approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) west of Tehran, showed at least seven blood – covered bodies inside a building. In the videos, people are seen bandaging someone’s head and patching another person’s eye, while a voice says that at least 10 people were killed by gunfire. Bloomberg was unable to independently verify any of the footage.

Tasnim reported on Saturday, citing an informed security official, that security forces have arrested nearly 200 “leaders of terrorist groups” and seized ammunition, hand grenades, and Molotov cocktails. Iran’s prosecutor general warned that all detainees would be charged as an “enemy of God” — an offense broadly defined and punishable by death under the country’s Islamic law.

The state – run IRIB News reported that Mohammad Movahedi Azad said all “rioters” would face the same charge, “whether an individual has assisted rioters and terrorists” or “whether they are mercenaries who have taken up arms.” He said trial proceedings will be carried out without any delay and “without leniency, compassion, or indulgence.”

The US – based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that at least 65 people have been killed and 2,311 arrested since the protests began on Dec. 28, when traders in Tehran protested a currency crisis and deteriorating living conditions. Since then, the demonstrations have spread across the nation.

According to the Human Rights Activists group, 38 of the fatalities were identified in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Ilam, Kermanshah, and Fars provinces in central and western Iran. It was reported on Friday that at least 217 protesters have died in Tehran, mostly due to live ammunition, citing a doctor in the capital.

Internet – monitoring group NetBlocks said in a report that a nationwide internet blackout remained in effect in Iran as of Saturday. By local afternoon time, people in the country seemed largely disconnected from international online services, and many users around the world reported that they had been unable to contact their loved ones at home for nearly two days.

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The protests on Thursday and Friday — Iran’s weekend — followed a call from Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the country’s former shah who is positioning himself as an opposition leader. He urged demonstrators to return to the streets again after 6 p.m. local time on Saturday and Sunday.

The 65 – year – old, US – based Pahlavi said in a statement, “Our goal is no longer merely to take to the streets. The goal is to prepare to seize city centers and hold them.” Pahlavi urged workers in the oil, gas, and transportation industries to start a nationwide strike and said he is “preparing to return to the homeland.”

Iranian media reported that Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi arrived in Tehran on Saturday. This visit comes as tensions between the US and Iran are rising over the Islamic Republic’s handling of the protests. A day earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said it was unclear whether Albusaidi was carrying “a message from anywhere.” Oman mediated five rounds of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington last year, which stalled after US and Israeli attacks on Iran in June.

State TV downplayed the protests on Saturday, stating that security forces had largely contained the demonstrations on Friday after what it described as unrest by “armed terrorists” in Tehran and other cities the previous night.

The semi – official Tasnim news agency reported that Iran’s regular army signaled its loyalty to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying it will “monitor enemy movements in the region and firmly safeguard the nation’s interests, strategic infrastructure, and public property” under the 86 – year – old leader.

Chanting Crowds

So far, Iranian authorities have refrained from releasing an official count of fatalities among protesters or security forces. State – affiliated media reported at least a dozen deaths among police and Basij volunteer militia forces since Thursday. Tasnim said “armed terrorists” killed several police personnel in a gunfight on Thursday.

Violence also broke out in Zahedan, a Sunni – majority city in south – western Iran and a long – standing flashpoint for deadly security incidents. The Norwegian – registered Hengaw Organization for Human Rights said that security forces opened fire on demonstrators after Friday prayers, leaving several people wounded.

State media published images of several burned buildings in Tehran, while a social – media video allegedly showed a municipality building in Karaj, west of the capital, engulfed in flames.

Chants recorded in the footage included “Death to the dictator,” “No Gaza, no Lebanon, my life for Iran,” and “This is the year of blood; Seyyed Ali will be toppled,” referring to Khamenei, who on Friday repeated his pledge to quash the protesters.

While the US has so far been hesitant to accept Pahlavi as a potential replacement for the Iranian government, President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned the regime against killing protesters.

On Friday, the leaders of France, the UK, and Germany also urged the regime to “exercise restraint, to refrain from violence, and to uphold the fundamental rights of Iran’s citizens.”