Thousands have hit the streets, dozens have died, buildings and statues have been set afire in Iran where tensions surrounding protests against the leadership and dwindling economy saw an overnight escalation to an all-time high on Thursday, prompting authorities to resort to a nationwide internet shutdown.
The protests in Iran that started on December 28 have expanded to multiple cities and even capital Tehran. Protesters on Thursday walked through the streets and chanted slogans against Iran’s clerical leadership which has been facing a public outrage over the dwindling economy. Track Iran protests live updates
Demonstrators were seen repeating slogans against the clerical leadership, including “Pahlavi will return” and “Seyyed Ali will be toppled”, in reference to Khamenei
Internet was reportedly shut down across Iran and at least 42 people have been killed since the protests began last month, according to reports. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Thursday and said repeated that the US would take strong action if Iran kills protesters.
Why is Iran protesting?
Protest rallies that started in Tehran have now spread to 348 locations in all of Iran’s 31 provinces., according to HRANA. The agitation in Iran started on December 28 with a shutdown in Tehran Bazaar over the nation’s falling economy. University students joined the protests which turned into a nation-wide protest. According to HRANA, 34 universities have so far been involved in the protests, with a total of 46 gatherings held on university campuses.