The fires in the center of the streets, the chants and slogans of “death to Khamenei” and “long live the Shah”. Despite the internet blackout and a toll of dozens of deaths and thousands of arrests, the Iranian people do not stop. And he returns to the streets to carry out a protest now in its fourteenth day, which in terms of numbers and scope is unprecedented in the last three years.
The death toll
“At least 192 people” have been killed in two weeks of anti-government protests in Iran: according to the human rights organization Iran Human Rights. “Since the start of the protests, Iran Human Rights has confirmed the killing of at least 192 protesters,” warning that the toll could be much higher as a days-long internet blackout hampers checks.
There is also a two-month-old baby among the victims of the riots of the last two weeks in Iran. This was confirmed by the governor of Isfahan, Ali Ahmadi, as reported by Press TV.
Ahmadi reported that 30 security officers were also killed in the clashes in his province; the funeral will be on Monday. Among the damages that were recorded, there was also the burning of ten mosques.
In neighboring Fars province, at least 12 soldiers died according to Ibrahim Bayani, director general of the provincial department of the “Martyrs’ Foundation”. The commander of the special police units, General Masoud Modaqq, announced today that eight members of his command personnel were killed during the riots.
We talk about “revolution”
Some analysts are starting to talk about “revolution” – a word with strong political and symbolic weight in the Islamic Republic born from a revolution in the 1970s – as if to underline that “this time it is different”, compared to previous mobilisations. So much so that the regime has decided to raise the stakes by threatening all rebels with gallows as ‘enemies of God’, while the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei has placed the Pasdaran on an even higher state of alert than that adopted for the 12-day war with Israel in June 2025.
Iranian parliamentarians shout “Death to America” in the Chamber
Recordings of today’s session of the Iranian parliament, cited by Sky News, show parliamentarians shouting “Death to America”. The chants were uttered at the end of a speech by assembly speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who threatened retaliation against the US and Israel in the event of US intervention in the country. The chant “Death to America,” or Marg bar Amrika in Persian, was popularized by Iran’s first supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which overthrew the American-backed regime of the last Iranian shah.
Trump against repression, Tehran threatens retaliation
Measures which, on the one hand, increase the fear of an even more brutal repression of dissent, on the other inflame tensions with the West and in particular with Washington, from where the president of the United States first reiterated the invitation “not to start shooting” at civilians, “otherwise, we will start shooting too”. Then, in the evening he assured that the United States is “ready to help” the demonstrators who are “fighting for freedom”. Iran’s response soon arrived, warning that “any US attack would lead Tehran to react against Israel and US military bases” in the region, defining them as “legitimate objectives”: this was said by the president of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, addressing the deputies.
Maximum alert in Israel
Israel is therefore on high alert for the possibility of US intervention in Iran. The sources, present at the Israeli security consultations over the weekend, did not provide details on what Israel’s high alert status actually means. Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the possibility of US intervention in Iran, according to an Israeli source present at the conversation.
Speaking at the start of the cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel and Iran will return to being partners after the fall of the Tehran regime. “We are transmitting strength to the heroic and courageous citizens of Iran and, once the regime falls, we will do good together for the benefit of both peoples,” he said, quoted by the Times of Israel. “We all hope that the Persian nation will soon be freed from the yoke of tyranny,” Netanyahu continued. “And when that day comes, Israel and Iran will once again be faithful partners in building a future of prosperity and peace.”
A possible US attack
According to Wall Street Journal sources, US administration officials have had “preliminary” discussions on a possible attack against Iran, should it be necessary to follow up on the president’s threats, and possible targets have already been identified. One option would be a large-scale airstrike against several Iranian military targets, but sources say there is no consensus yet on the course of action and no military equipment or personnel have yet been mobilized.
The West supports the courageous Iranian people
America “supports the courageous Iranian people”, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed Trump, while the EU also asked to stop the repression and the President of the European Chamber, Roberta Metsola, proposed sanctioning the Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Internet blackout
But in the meantime, news about the protests and repression throughout the country, from Tabriz to Tehran to Shiraz, is leaking out from the Islamic Republic, albeit with difficulty. The blackout of internet communications has now been going on for 48 hours. Only text messages from the police reaching citizens invite them not to join the protests or give support to the demonstrators. A censorship and propaganda that goes hand in hand with the violence that accompanies the demonstrations and the consequent repression of the authorities: according to the NGO Human Rights Activists News Agency, the last night of protests would have brought the number of victims of the protests to at least 65 – including 49 civilians – while the arrests would be over 2,300.
Hospitals collapsing
A doctor and a social worker from two hospitals in Iran have contacted the BBC to report that their facilities are now “overwhelmed” by the injured. Testimonies speak of chaos in the capital, with acts of violence by both protesters and the police. Also further inflaming the crisis are the unconfirmed news of the arrival of Iraqi militiamen in Iran with the aim of joining the forces of law and order.
Overthrow the Islamic Republic
Rumors which – according to reports – have led to an increase in attacks against the Iraqi population. Tension is skyrocketing, and appears to show no signs of abating: further mobilizations are expected, also driven by the appeals of Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah of Persia, to exploit the moment to overthrow the regime of the ayatollahs. “I am sure that by making our presence on the streets more concentrated and cutting off financial channels, we will overthrow the Islamic Republic,” he said, before “calling on workers and employees in key sectors of the economy to start a nationwide strike.” And to “take to the streets” today and tomorrow “with flags, images and national symbols and occupy public spaces”. In response, Iranian authorities continue to accuse protesters of waging “a foreign-orchestrated war,” pointing the finger at the United States and Israel. And while the semi-official Tasnim news agency announced a large counter-demonstration in Tehran for Monday afternoon to “condemn the actions of the rioters”, the country’s attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, reiterated the threat that all the rioters risk the gallows as they are accused of being “mohareb”, that is, “enemies of God”.
The next few days will be crucial
Faced with this picture, intelligence and diplomatic sources from the countries in the area agree in indicating that the next few days will be crucial. In fact, if the response of the authorities has so far been judged harsh but more “disciplined” than in the past, the continuation of the demonstrations and the vandalism risk pushing the regime to change pace. Kicking off a real season of bloody repression of the population.
Iranian media, “200 protest ringleaders arrested”
Media reported that at least 200 “ringleaders of the riots” were arrested. A “considerable arsenal of weapons” was also discovered in their shelters. The Iranian network Press TV reports this, citing the semi-official Tasnim news agency, according to which those arrested had links to terrorist groups.