A chilling warning echoed from Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, signaling an impending crackdown on escalating protests. The nation, already gripped by unrest for over a week, braced for a harsher response as demonstrations continued to swell in cities across the country.
Just as dissent reached a fever pitch, Iran descended into a near-total internet blackout. The abrupt severing of digital connections effectively silenced communication within the country and with the outside world, coinciding with calls for widespread protests at 8 p.m. local time.
The blackout’s timing was stark, a deliberate attempt to stifle the burgeoning movement. Reports indicate a rising death toll, now reaching 44, as the regime struggles to contain the widespread discontent simmering beneath the surface.
The crisis drew a direct response from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who vowed intervention should peaceful protesters face violence. He asserted the U.S. was prepared to act, a statement amplified through various channels, including a post on his social media platform.
Khamenei swiftly dismissed Trump’s offer of support, delivering a scathing rebuke. He accused the former U.S. president of having “bloodstained hands” and referenced chants of “Death to America!” echoing through state-controlled media.
The Supreme Leader framed the protests as a deliberate attempt to appease foreign powers, accusing demonstrators of intentionally damaging their own communities to satisfy another nation’s leader. This narrative seeks to discredit the movement and portray it as externally motivated.
Before the internet was completely extinguished, fragmented videos surfaced, offering glimpses into the unrest. These showed protesters gathering around bonfires, their voices rising against the regime amidst debris-strewn streets in Tehran and beyond.
State media countered these images with accusations of foreign interference, claiming “terrorist agents” from the U.S. and Israel were responsible for instigating the violence and setting the fires. This attempt to deflect blame underscores the regime’s desperation.
From exile, Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah of Iran, rallied support for the protests. He expressed immense pride in the courage of those taking to the streets, claiming their numbers forced a temporary retreat of security forces.
Pahlavi urged even greater participation in subsequent demonstrations, believing that increased pressure would further erode the Islamic Republic’s authority. He instilled hope, assuring protesters that their collective strength would ultimately prevail, even in the face of censorship.
The internet blackout represents a desperate measure by a regime facing an unprecedented challenge to its authority. The fate of Iran hangs in the balance, as citizens risk everything to demand change and a future free from oppression.
