Protests have erupted globally following reports that over 3,000 demonstrators have been killed during Iran’s forceful crackdown on protests. The country’s 90 million inhabitants woke up to discover internet blockages and disrupted phone services after a series of public demonstrations provoked a severe reaction from the authorities.
Witnesses recounted scenes of overwhelmed hospitals, filled with bodies, as protesters swarmed the streets of Tehran and Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city. Videos emerged showing ongoing demonstrations in the early hours of Monday.
The main opposition group in Iran, MEK, alleges that the death toll from the 16-day protests has surpassed 3,000, with leader Maryam Rajavi condemning the government’s actions as a “grave violation of human rights.”
Meanwhile, the UK government downplayed the possibility of labeling Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. Former MI6 chief Sir Richard Moore cautioned against the move, suggesting it may not yield practical results and could be more about self-gratification.
Parts of Tehran sustained significant damage during the protests and the subsequent crackdown. Pro-regime supporters in Iran displayed images of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at a government-organized rally, voicing anti-US and anti-Israel sentiments. Anti-regime demonstrators in various locations called for the return of Reza Pahlavi, son of the late Iranian ruler Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
While official estimates cite around 600 protester casualties, opposition factions within Iran claim the death toll could be as high as 3,000 individuals. Iranian authorities orchestrated nationwide rallies, including the use of a dummy resembling US President Donald Trump, to regain control of the streets.
In London, an individual set fire to an image of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei outside the Iranian embassy. Police issued warnings urging families to safeguard their youth amidst the unrest. Anti-regime protests in Los Angeles and billboards depicting coffins draped with American and Israeli flags in Tehran underscore the escalating tensions in Iran.