“Protests in a number of cities have died down following a massive use of force by Iranian security forces, with residents reporting an “eerie silence” after days of escalating violence. According to human rights defenders, the number of dead and arrested is in the thousands.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
PROTESTS IN IRAN. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES Source: WSJ
Details: According to journalists, Iranian authorities blocked the Internet and deployed a large force of police and military in an attempt to suppress the biggest threat to the regime since the 1979 revolution. Iranians say they are afraid to leave their homes.
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Human Rights Activists in Iran said the number of new protests it was able to confirm dropped to zero for the first time on Tuesday and remained at that level on Wednesday. The organization noted that this may be a consequence of severe restrictions on communication, in particular, interruptions in mobile communication.
According to human rights activists, more than 2,600 people have been killed and more than 18,000 arrested. European and Middle Eastern officials also note a decline in protest activity.
International Crisis Group analyst Ali Waez explained the decline in activity as an “unprecedented use of force” by the authorities:
“The reason is very obvious: the regime staged a bloody massacre. They used an unprecedented iron fist. It has a chilling effect on the protesters.”
At the same time, on Wednesday, the Iranian authorities signaled preparations for quick trials and executions of anti-government protesters. The head of Iran’s judiciary said in a video on state television that the courts must act quickly.
Experts believe that the current silence may be temporary, because deep dissatisfaction with the authorities remains, and economic problems remain unresolved.
“Even if the first round is over, the next one is just around the corner, because the regime is incapable and unable to resolve legitimate claims.” Vaez thinks.
A resident of Tehran said that he joined the protests on January 8, when mass demonstrations began in the capital. According to him, at first the security forces used tear gas and non-lethal means, but later they started firing live rounds, and the number of victims increased. Another resident of the capital noted that there is a “strange silence” in the city now, but the situation remains unstable.
Prehistory:
- The current protests in Iran are one of the biggest challenges to Iran’s religious rule since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. They were provoked by economic troubles: rising inflation and falling currency rates. According to human rights defenders, the number of dead has already exceeded 500 people.
- January 11 Trump Iran publicly warnedthat the United States would “step in” and help the protesters win their freedom if the ayatollah’s regime resorted to deadly violence against the demonstrators.
- He said the other day that he was getting “hourly updates” on the situation in Iran and that the US military was “considering some very strong options”, including cyber attacks and direct strikes by the US or Israel.
- On January 13, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, threatened Trump “an unforgettable lesson“, if the US strikes the country.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyi reacted to the mass protests in Iran and called on world leaders not to waste the moment and help Iranians change the government in the country.
- On January 15, US President Donald Trump said that Iran allegedly “murders stopped” and executions were abolished.