Huge anti-government protests in Tehran and other Iranian cities

[Twiglets1]

Huge crowds of protesters have been marching through Iran's capital and other cities, videos show, in what is said to be the largest show of force by opponents of the clerical establishment in years.

The peaceful demonstrations in Tehran and the second city of Mashhad on Thursday evening, which were not dispersed by security forces, can be seen in footage verified by BBC Persian.

Later, a monitoring group reported a nationwide internet blackout.

Protesters can be heard in the footage calling for the overthrow of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the return of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the late former shah, who had urged his supporters to take to the streets.

It was the 12th consecutive day of unrest that has been sparked by anger over the collapse of the Iranian currency and has spread to more than 100 cities and towns across all 31 of Iran's provinces, according to human rights groups.

The US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) has said at least 34 protesters - five of them children - and eight security personnel have been killed, and that 2,270 other protesters have been arrested.

Norway-based monitor Iran Human Rights (IHR) has said at least 45 protesters, including eight children, have been killed by security forces.

BBC Persian has confirmed the deaths and identities of 22 people, while Iranian authorities have reported the deaths of six security personnel.

Iranian state media downplayed the scale of Thursday's unrest. In some cases, they denied protests had taken place altogether, posting videos of empty streets.

Meanwhile, internet watchdog NetBlocks said its metrics showed that Iran was "in the midst of a nationwide internet blackout".

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg7y0579lp8o

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm appalled at the lack of coverage by e.g. the BBC and Guardian while this revolution has been going on for a few days already. I had to look on Twitter/X to find out what was happening. Thoughts are with the people of Iran today. May they succeed in overthrowing the Islamist regime.

Its huge - but weirdly downplayed in our media.

One has to wonder why.

The Telegraph: Iran shuts down internet as biggest protests yet grip Islamic Republic

Iran has shut down the internet after the biggest anti-regime protests in 12 days of unrest erupted in cities across the Islamic Republic.

In a desperate move by the authorities, an internet blackout was recorded first in Tehran, the capital, and then across the rest of the country on Thursday night.

There are fears that the lack of service could provide the authorities with cover to use lethal force to put down demonstrations. This internet shutdown echoes a government move in 2019, when 1,500 people were killed.

The latest demonstrations against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the dire economic situation in Iran, have spread to 111 cities and dozens of towns across all of Iran’s 31 provinces. At least 45 protesters – including eight children – and four security officers have been killed, with 2,200 demonstrators arrested so far.

www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/01/08/iran-ready-war-trump-attacks-again/

I agree it has been downplayed up until now. But it seems to be given higher priority now due to analytics showing people are more interested in this news than trivial things like the Beckhams family fallouts.

This may seem a random comparison but earlier today the Telegraph has the Beckhams story higher than the one about Iran 🙄

I have been following it on Sky News and CNN since last week.

And I live in a country with very restricted internet.

And that is an issue with Iran, the state controls the web and the news. So it can be difficult for the news folk to get information that they can verify. The main networks do appear to be reporting what they can, so far as I can work out. BBC and the Guardian being banned where I am. So take what I say with caution, ironically.

I am not criticizing your post. Not at all. Just saying that accurate news can be difficult to get, and report.

In fact, me and my friends were talking about this just last online week re Iran. If you find an Iranian subject news website, always check the "about" page. To see if it will be biased etc.

The story is being widely reported in the UK now across left and right wing media. The same story (more or less) being reported by the BBC, Guardian, Independent, Telegraph, Times, Financial Times etc. No one in the UK could seriously doubt the truth of what is being reported about the demonstrations in Iran.

Middle East online makes the point that:

Musk and SpaceX have activated Starlink satellite internet in Iran amid a nationwide blackout imposed by the regime during ongoing anti-government protests as of January 9, 2026, according to online reports.

Iranians with smuggled Starlink terminals are accessing uncensored internet, bypassing government restrictions. Access is reportedly free for a limited period, similar to previous activations.

https://www.middle-east-online.com/en/spacex-activates-starlink-satellite-internet-iran-bypass-blackout

My Iranian contacts dont have that much trouble getting information. We all understand the challenges but the BBC has long established networks. These are editorial decisions.

And that is an issue with Iran, the state controls the web and the news. So it can be difficult for the news folk to get information that they can verify.

It is still not headline news in any paper I've looked at just now e.g The Times online; while it is true that there are huge difficulties in getting verification, it has never ever stopped the media 'reporting' what Hamas stated throughout the Gaza war, even though bona fide journalists were unable to enter the war zone.

My cousin, who is a journalist who has reported extensively on the ME, wrote on her substack at the beginning of this week about the revolution after she attended a vigil of support at the Iranian Embassy at the weekend. The UK should be standing together with the ordinary people of Iran now. Why hasn't the Government spoken about it? Surely as important as Venezuela?

It's time for Starmer to make one of his tedious statements.

I'm being facetious. It actually is time the UK government spoke up.

You cannot possibly believe anything on Twatter the British Biased Catshit or the Guardian surely

Strangely enough normally I'd agree with you about Twitter/X but it seemed the only place I found that was covering the ongoing situation. You are correct about the Batshit Beeb and the Guardian though.

Seems like X was getting people talking about the unfolding situation in Iran a lot sooner than mainstream journalism.

Mainstream journalism still a more reliable source though, in my opinion. Even the BBC despite being rather discredited lately over their coverage of the Gaza war.

I wish people would understand Twitter is just a platform. Its like saying you dont believe anything you see on TV. Twitter is actually brilliant in these situations as long as you take steps to verify the accounts and material you are looking at.

Trouble is a lot of people don’t bother to verify accounts or material they are looking at @SharonEllis

Instead they search out stuff that fits with the views they already have, thus reinforcing them. Algorithms ensure they have a constant stream of new material that keeps the cycle going.

( to be clear I’m not against Twitter/X - just think what we read on it needs to be taken with a big pinch of salt but often isn’t).

For sure.

People need to get footage out somehow and whilst X is a mix and has its faults it’s good for that.

The Sky News Data and Forensics team has independently geolocated and verified video of protests in 19 provinces.

Sky News' international correspondent John Sparks* *reported on Thursday how the demonstrations follow a collapse in the value of the Iranian currency and a period of prolonged hyperinflation.

At the time of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, $1 traded for 32,000 rials. On Tuesday, $1 was trading at 1.46 million rials - a new low - with no signs of slowing.

The economy has been badly damaged by US sanctions, along with mismanagement and corruption.

Conditions further deteriorated after last year's conflict with Israel.

https://news.sky.com/story/terrorist-agents-from-israel-and-us-have-sparked-violence-in-iran-state-media-claims-13492262

I didn't see your thread and cross posted similar stories.

Lots of events have come together so Iranians feel its the right time to protest

Good Luck to them.

They are catching up. Stories on BBC etc now.

Good luck to the Iranians.

The Iranian historian on Newsnight just said the Iranian regime has executed 4 people day on average for some time (didnt catch it). Grotesque

According to the Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) at least 62 people have been killed since the protests began.

The internet blackout continues today as Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatens a crackdown as the protests escalate.

An anonymous Tehran doctor tells Time magazine that 217 protester deaths were registered in just 6 hospitals in the city after anti-regime rallies on Thursday night “most by live ammunition”.

Source: Times of Israel.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15450611/Friends-Tehran-tell-theyve-never-seen-like-writes-DAVID-PATRIKARAKOS-revolt-momentous-Starmer-BBC-near-silence.html

Good article and I do hope coverage increases despite the crackdown.