Large anti-government demonstrations filled streets in Tehran and several other Iranian cities late Thursday, marking what observers say is the most visible show of dissent against the clerical establishment in recent years.
Verified videos shared with BBC Persian showed peaceful marches in both the capital and the northeastern city of Mashhad.
Security forces did not initially disperse the gatherings, according to those accounts. Hours later, a widely reported nationwide internet blackout was confirmed by monitoring groups.
Chants captured in footage called for the removal of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and referenced Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last monarch, who had urged supporters earlier in the day to rally in the streets.
The demonstrations represented the 12th consecutive day of unrest tied to public anger over the collapse of Iran’s currency and surging inflation, which rights organisations say has now spread to more than 100 cities and towns across all 31 provinces.
Rising casualty and arrest figures
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported at least 34 protesters – including five minors – and eight security personnel killed, alongside more than 2,270 arrests. Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) put the death toll at 45 protesters, including eight children. BBC Persian has verified 22 deaths and Iranian state authorities have acknowledged six security force fatalities. All figures remain difficult to independently confirm.
Footage highlights growing coordination
One clip from Mashhad showed a large procession moving along a major thoroughfare while chanting pro-Pahlavi slogans. In another, individuals climbed an overpass and removed what appeared to be mounted surveillance cameras.
Videos from Tehran’s eastern districts showed similar crowds, while recordings from Isfahan, Babol and Tabriz included chants against the current leadership.
Footage from Dezful in the west appeared to capture a confrontation between demonstrators and security personnel. The escalation followed a direct call by Pahlavi on X, where he described participants as “millions of Iranians demanding their freedom” and thanked US President Donald Trump for pressuring Tehran. He later urged further demonstrations at 20:00 local time on Friday.
Iranian state media downplayed Thursday’s protests, in some cases broadcasting images of empty streets and denying that major gatherings occurred.
Internet restrictions and regional strikes
Internet watchdog NetBlocks confirmed that Iran was facing a nationwide outage, calling it “a critical disruption” following earlier targeted restrictions in several cities.
Separate footage earlier in the day from the western province of Ilam showed a crowd chanting slogans against the clerical establishment. Videos from Kurdish-majority areas in Ilam, Kermanshah and Lorestan showed closed shops following a strike call by exiled Kurdish groups protesting heavy crackdowns. Rights group Hengaw reported at least 17 protesters killed in those provinces, most from Kurdish and Lor communities.
Deadliest day reported
Wednesday saw some of the most serious clashes of the movement. IHR said 13 protesters were confirmed dead nationwide, describing a widening crackdown. Hengaw reported two protesters shot dead in Khoshk-e Bijar in northern Gilan province that night.
Semi-official news agency Fars, which is close to the Revolutionary Guards, reported three police personnel killed on Wednesday – two by gunfire in Lordegan in the southwest and another fatally stabbed west of Tehran in Malard.
Human rights advocates warn the situation remains volatile as demonstrations continue to evolve from local economic grievances into broader political demands, while Iranian authorities attempt to assert control over public narratives and communication networks.
