Deadly Warning as Iran Protests Spread Despite Total Internet Shutdown

Iran’s Leader Signals Crackdown as Protests Continue Despite Internet Blackout Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Friday that security forces would use force against demonstrators as anti-government protests spread overnight across multiple cities despite a nationwide internet shutdown.

In a speech aired on state television, Khamenei dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s public support for Iranian protesters and accused him of having hands “stained with the blood of Iranians”. Footage broadcast alongside his remarks showed crowds of pro-government supporters chanting “Death to America”.

Khamenei claimed that the protesters were destroying their own streets to appease a foreign power. His remarks came after Trump reiterated his support for peaceful Iranian demonstrations while warning that the US would respond if protesters were killed.

Iranian authorities have reportedly cut off internet access and international phone calls in an attempt to limit the flow of information. Even so, activists’ short videos appeared to show people gathering late into the night in Tehran and other cities, chanting anti-government slogans around fires as debris filled the streets.

State media blamed the unrest on “terrorist agents” from the United States and Israel. It acknowledged that there had been casualties but did not provide details.

Because of the communications blackout, the full scale of the protests remains unclear. What is known is that the demonstrations, which began on December 28 over rising prices and economic hardship, have steadily grown into one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s leadership in years.

The protests have also been fuelled by former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi’s calls for Iranians to take to the streets at specific times. In a notable shift, some demonstrators have expressed support for Iran’s former monarchy, reflecting their deep dissatisfaction with the current system.

According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency in the United States, at least 42 people have been killed and over 2,270 have been detained thus far.