Pahlavi Calls On Iran's Armed Forces, Police To Join Protests
In a message released late on January 11, former Iranian crown prince and opposition figure Reza Pahlavi said, "We are not alone" in reference to the ongoing nationwide protests in Iran, adding that "international aid will also arrive soon."
He went on to address employees of government agencies and the armed forces and law enforcement, saying they "have the opportunity to join the people and be the helpers of the nation" or face "eternal shame" by "colluding with the murderers of the nation."
Pahlavi also announced that inside Iran, in addition to "occupying and protecting the central streets of cities," all institutions and apparatuses that bear responsibility for "the regime's false propaganda and cutting off communications" are considered :legitimate targets."
In another part of his message, he emphasized that all embassies and consulates of the Islamic republic outside Iran "belong to the Iranian nation" and that it was time to "decorate them with the national flag of Iran instead of the flag of the Islamic republic."
The message also stated that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the government under his leadership have suffered "heavy blows" from the mass protests and should not be "given a second chance to breathe."
He added that the escalating violence against protesters was not a sign of authority but rather a result of "a lack of repressive force" and the government's fear of "a faster collapse and downfall."
NetBlocks: Iran's Nationwide Internet Blackout In Fourth Day
The NetBlocks organization announced in an update early on January 12 that Iran's nationwide Internet blackout had entered its fourth day.
Referring to its technical data, NetBlocks said the blackout continues and that years of research on digital censorship in Iran show that citizens use alternative solutions to access communications in such circumstances.
According to the report, these solutions include the use of shortwave and amateur radios, connections to cell phone towers in border areas, Starlink terminals, and direct satellite-to-cell phone communication technology.
The widespread Internet blackout began on January 8, coinciding with the intensification of protests in numerous Iranian cities. Human rights groups and Internet freedom activists say the aim is to limit information dissemination and make it difficult to document the suppression of protests.
Despite the blackout, scattered videos and reports have been published through alternative means of communication indicating that protests are continuing in various cities in Iran.
UN Chief 'Shocked' By 'Excessive Use of Force' Against Iranian Protesters
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on January 11 that he is "shocked" by reports of "violence and excessive use of force by Iranian authorities against protesters" that rights groups say have killed hundreds and injured many more in recent days.
In a statement, Guterres’ spokesman said he supports citizens' peaceful and fearless expression of their discontent and calls on Iranian authorities to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from the "unnecessary or disproportionate use of force."
He also called for ensuring access to information in Iran, including the restoration of communications, as an Internet blackout continued nationwide.
Iran Officials Declare 3 Days Of Mourning
The government of Iran declared three days of national mourning late on January 11, without mentioning the role of security forces in the deaths of protesters.
In a statement by the cabinet published in state media, the deaths of protesters, security forces, and police were attributed to "urban terrorist criminals." The government of Masud Pezeshkian has also likened the violence to the behavior of the Islamic State extremist group.
In recent days, officials in Iran and state media have described the protesters as "armed terrorists" and have not mentioned the numerous gatherings of citizens demanding a change of government in Iran, the images of which have been published.
In an interview with Iranian state TV on January 11, Pezeshkian also called the protesters "terrorists" and called for security forces to deal with them.
An hour later, videos were published on social media showing a significant number of people killed at Tehran’s Kahrizak forensic hospital.
Due to the nationwide Internet blackout and the imposition of severe restrictions and censorship, it is not clear how many people have died in the protests across Iran. Some human rights organizations have reported different figures, citing their own sources.
US-based group HRANA said it had verified the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 security personnel, with more than 10,600 people arrested in two weeks of unrest.
The Iranian government has also called on people to participate in a government-sponsored rally scheduled for January 12. Text messages sent to Iranian citizens urged them to march against what they call "subversive elements and armed terrorists affiliated with the United States and Zionism."
Iranian State Media Announces Death of Mashhad Anti-Narcotics Police Chief
The Islamic Republic of Iran Radio and Television, the country's state-controlled public broadcaster, announced on January 11, citing the deputy commander of the Khorasan Razavi Police Force, that Brigadier General Javad Keshavarz, the head of Mashhad’s anti-narcotics police, had died in an attack by people he called “armed rioters.”
This news comes as nationwide protests in Iran have entered their third week.
Trump Says Iran Leaders Seeking Talks
US President Donald Trump said the Iranian leadership called to seek talks with Washington in the face of his threats of military action in response to Tehran's brutal crackdown of mass anti-government protests.
"The leaders of Iran called," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on January 11. He added that "a meeting is being set up.... They want to negotiate."
However, "we may have to act before a meeting," he added without being specific.
To read the rest of the report by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here.
Live Blog Closing For The Day
We are closing the live blog for now, but we'll be back again tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. Central European time.
Trump Briefed On Options To Support Protests, Media Report
US President Donald Trump has reportedly been briefed on options to respond to the harsh security crackdown on protests in Iran.
As Trump has intensified pressure on the hard-line rulers in Tehran over the past week, he is now considering several options for supporting the protests in Iran, Axios and The New York Times reported, citing unnamed US officials.
While the reports said Trump has yet to make a decision on the form and scale of any move, The Wall Street Journal reported that specific options would be presented to the president on January 13.
The reports came as rights groups and government media said protests, arrests, and violence continued in dozens of towns and cities in Iran on January 11.
Harrowing Images Of Dead Bodies Outside Tehran Morgue Appear Online
The Telegram channels Vahid Online and Hal Vash, which monitor protests and rights abuses in Iran, have published images of people killed during the recent anti-government demonstrations in Tehran.
In a series of recorded videos confirmed by Reuters as being filmed at the Kahrizak Forensic Medical Center in the Iranian capital, people can be seen identifying their relatives among the bodies of those killed. The news agency said the date on which the footage was taken could not be verified.
Investigations carried out by RFE/RL’s Radio Farda indicate that Iranian military and security forces have fired live ammunition at civilians during the protests and there have also been reports of extrajudicial killings.
Iranians Abroad Lose Contact With Loved Ones Amid Dayslong Digital Blackout
- By RFE/RL
With Iran currently experiencing a dayslong digital blackout since late evening on January 8, RFE/RL's Radio Farda has been in touch with Iranians outside the country who can't reach their families because of the shutdown back home. For safety reasons, some of those who responded asked to remain anonymous, while others requested that only their first names be used. (We posted an text version of this story earlier.)
