Protests across Iran have entered their 14th day, spreading to much of the country after initially erupting over soaring inflation and economic distress. What began as demonstrations over living costs has rapidly turned political, with protesters openly calling for Iran’s clerical rulers to step down.
The unrest now represents one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution.
Reza Pahlavi Calls For Seizing City Centres
Overnight, Iran witnessed mass protests denouncing the Islamic Republic, as Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of the ousted shah, urged demonstrators to escalate their tactics.
“Our goal is no longer merely to come to the streets. The goal is to prepare for seizing the centres of cities and holding them,” Pahlavi said on Saturday.
He praised the “magnificent” turnout during Friday’s protests and called on Iranians to organise more targeted demonstrations over the weekend.
Iranian Military Signals Readiness
As protests intensified, the Iranian army said on Saturday it would safeguard strategic infrastructure and public property. It urged citizens to thwart what it described as “the enemy’s plots,” signalling a tougher stance as authorities move to contain the unrest.
State media reported that a municipal building was set on fire in Karaj, west of Tehran, blaming “rioters” for the incident.
Trump Issues Warning To Tehran
US President Donald Trump said his administration had issued a clear warning to Iranian authorities against killing protesters, indicating that Washington could take action if violence escalates.
“And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts,” Trump said.
He added on Thursday that he was not inclined to meet Reza Pahlavi, suggesting the US was waiting to see how the crisis unfolds before backing an opposition figure.
Khamenei Defiant As Protests Persist
In a defiant speech on Friday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei lashed out at what he called “vandals” and vowed that the Islamic Republic would “not back down”.
He accused protesters of “ruining their own streets … in order to please the president of the United States,” while also criticising Washington.
Death Toll Mounts, Fears Of Wider Crackdown
At least 62 people have been killed during the protests, which have evolved into the most significant challenge to Iran’s government in years.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi warned on Friday that security forces could be preparing to commit a “massacre under the cover of a sweeping communications blackout”.
State television broadcast footage of funerals of security personnel it said were killed during unrest in Shiraz, Qom and Hamedan, underscoring the growing violence on both sides.
