Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Iran

Massive Protests in Tehran and Other Iranian Cities

Videos shared on social media depict large crowds of protesters demonstrating in Tehran and other cities across Iran, marking some of the largest protests against the religious regime in recent years. Rallies in Tehran and Iran's second city, Mashhad, have been confirmed by BBC Persian, highlighting peaceful protests that have not been dispersed by security forces. On Wednesday, violent clashes erupted in several cities. Crowds in Mashhad called for the removal of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and for the return of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the former Shah, who urged his supporters to take to the streets. This marks the twelfth day of unrest in Iran, with protests spreading to 140 cities and towns across all 31 provinces, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which reported that at least 34 protesters and seven security personnel have been killed during the turmoil, and 2,270 protesters have been arrested. Another organization, Iran Human Rights based in Norway, stated that at least 45 protesters, including eight children, have been killed by security forces. BBC Persian confirmed the deaths and identities of 21 individuals, while Iranian authorities reported the death of five security personnel. The protests began on December 28, when merchants took to the streets in the capital, Tehran, to express their dissatisfaction over a new drastic decline in the value of the Iranian currency, the rial, against the US dollar in the free market. The rial reached a historic low last year, with inflation soaring to 40%, as sanctions imposed on Iran's nuclear program impact an economy already weakened by mismanagement and corruption. University students swiftly joined the protests, which began to spread to other cities, with crowds frequently shouting slogans against the religious regime.