On Sunday, Iran’s protests all over the country lasted for the third week, with demonstrations still taking place in Tehran and the second-largest city of Iran. The increasing death toll along with the tensions with the world got worse. Activists have reported that the number of killed in the riots have reached at least 116, while the arrests were more than 2,600.
The government imposed an entire internet blackout and very strict phone restrictions, which made it very difficult to confirm the happenings in the country. Human rights groups argue that the cutting off of communications will allow security forces to suppress the demonstrations very brutally.
Parliament Issues Strong Warning
In this situation, chief of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, pointed out that U.S. forces and Israel would be “legitimate targets” in case of an attack from the United States. His comments were made during a very lively session in the parliament where the deputies already had shouted, “Death to America!” and were running to the front of the chamber.
The Speaker of the Parliament Qalibaf, besides him being a top official, issued a strict warning to the protesters, saying that the police and the security forces had the right to use whatever measures they deemed necessary, referring to the arrest of the protestors.
“If Iran is attacked, not only the occupied territory but also all American military centers, bases, and ships in the region would be legitimate targets,” Qalibaf strongly stated, adding that in case of an attack, Iran would not wait to step in if it perceived an imminent threat.
Ultimately, the decision to go towards military confrontation would always be in the hands of the now 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
U.S. and Israel on Alert
U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced support for Iranian protesters, posting on social media that Iran was moving toward “freedom” and that the United States stood ready to help. According to American media, Trump has received military options but has not quite decided yet.
The U.S. State Department also issued a warning, advising Iran not to miscalculate the president’s determination. The U.S. military announced that its troops in the Middle East are still completely ready to protect U.S. interests, friends, and staff. America has crucial resources in the area such as troops in Qatar and the Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
At the same time, Israel announced that it is watching the situation very closely. Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu allegedly talked about Iran with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a recent phone conversation.
Protests Spread Despite Crackdown
There were videos on the internet—thought to be disclosed through satellite links—that showed riots in the northern part of Tehran where the crowd lit up the night with their phones, blocked the roads and made noise with metal objects. The other videos indicated that there were peaceful protests and car horn protests.
In Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city and the site of the Imam Reza shrine, the authorities reported that there were confrontations between the demonstrators and the police. The burning and overturned garbage were seen in the streets, highlighting the importance of the protests in a city that is at the heart of Iran’s religious establishment. There were also smaller demonstrations in Kerman and other places.
According to human rights organizations, the protests were mostly short-lived and mobile, and they managed to adapt to the heavy presence of security and surveillance which included the use of drones.
Government Response and Counter-Rallies
State TV displayed quiet cityscapes in some areas and telecast pro-government demonstrations in Qom and Qazvin. A top security official, Ali Larijani, branded certain demonstrators as violent and equated them with the Islamic State organization. Besides, Iranian channels covered the burials of murdered security agents and informed about the additional losses of Iran’s forces in the western regions.
Protests Expected to Continue
To the extent of Reza Pahlavi’s announcement, the son of Iran’s exiled king, there were calls for more protests. He suggested that the Iranian people take back the public areas and show the national symbols from before the revolution. They have chanted slogans of support for the former monarchy but it is still not clear whether this means support for Pahlavi or just the people’s discontent with the present regime.
The unrest started on December 28 as a reaction to the sharp fall of the Iranian rial against the dollar, which was caused by the ongoing international sanctions that made the economy suffer. However, the protests have grown to be a major challenge to the Iranian regime and one of the most serious disturbances in the country in recent years.
