Iran protests Highlights: Army urges Iranians to thwart ‘enemy’s plots,' vows to protect public property

The Iranian army has said it would safeguard strategic infrastructure and public property and urged Iranians to thwart "the enemy's plots", as the clerical establishment steps up efforts to quell the country's biggest protests in years.

Major Iranian cities were gripped overnight by new mass rallies denouncing the Islamic republic, as Reza Pahlavi, son of the ousted shah urged protesters on Saturday to plan to seize city centres.

A "nationwide internet blackout" implemented by the Iranian authorities as protesters take to the streets has now been in place for 36 hours, monitor Netblocks said on Saturday, as reported by AFP.

Iran's former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who is living in exile, on Saturday called on Iranians working in economic sectors to strike work and to move to occupy the centre of Tehran.

Pahlavi voiced support for protesters across the country, praising continued demonstrations against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the ruling establishment.

"My dear compatriots, through your courage and resilience, you have earned the admiration of the world. Your magnificent presence once again in the streets across Iran on Friday evening was a crushing response to the threats of the treacherous and criminal leader of the Islamic Republic. I am certain that he saw these images from his hideout and trembled with fear. Now, with your decisive response to the first call, I am confident that by making our street presence more purposeful and simultaneously cutting off financial lifelines, we will bring the Islamic Republic and its worn-out, fragile apparatus of suppression completely to its knees," he said in a video message posted on X. (ANI)

Protests in Iran entered their thirteenth day on Friday as the movement sparked by anger over the rising cost of living has now morphed into a call for the end of the present regime that has ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the pro-Western Shah.

According to a post on X from Nicholas Carl, research fellow at Critical Threats, " Protests have expanded dramatically across Iran over the past day. Scenes of hundreds of protesters across major cities have circulated despite the countrywide internet shutdown that the regime imposed. Regime security forces appear to be using extreme violence across the country to end the protests...The protests have likely reached the point where they are challenging the ability of the regime to repress effectively. The security forces are seemingly facing bandwidth constraints and cannot be everywhere at once." (ANI)

World leaders on Saturday condemned the killing and arrest of protesters as they gripped Iran as threat looms over the administration.

In a joint statement, the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada and the European Union lauded the bravery displayed by the citizens of Iran and condemned the reported crackdown by the regime.

"We commend the bravery of the Iranian people as they stand up for their dignity and their fundamental right to peaceful protest. We strongly condemn the killing of protestors, the use of violence, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation tactics by the Iranian regime against its own people," the statement read. (ANI)

The United States on Friday said that Iran's foreign minister was "delusional" after he accused Israel and Washington of fueling the protests that have swept the Islamic republic, AFP reported.

"This statement reflects a delusional attempt to deflect from the massive challenges the Iranian regime faces at home," a US State Department spokesperson said in response to the comments by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during a visit to Lebanon. (AFP)

US President Donald Trump says, "Iran is in big trouble. People are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible... We are watching the situation carefully... If they (governemnt of Iran) start killing people as they have in the past, we will get involved. We will be hitting them hard where it hurts... There have been cases where President Obama totally backed down... Iran treated their people badly and now they are being paid back... We are watching it closely..."

Iranians took to the streets in new protests Friday to press the biggest movement against the Islamic republic in more than three years, as authorities sustained an internet blackout as part of a crackdown that has left dozens dead.

Protests have taken place across Iran for 13 days in a movement sparked by anger over the rising cost of living that is now marked by calls for the end of the clerical system that has ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution which ousted the pro-Western shah.(AFP)

United States President Donald Trump said on Friday (local time) that the situation in Iran is being monitored very closely and hoped for the protestors in the country to be safe.

He warned that if protestors were killed, the US would get involved and would hit the country where it hurts.

Amid a surge of protests in Iran over inflation and currency devaluation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday that India is closely monitoring the situation. "We are closely following the developments in Iran. As you would have seen, we have also issued an advisory. We have some 10,000 Indian nationals and people of Indian origin in that country," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

According to the US based Human Rights Activists News Agency, over 390 protests have occurred across all 31 provinces of Iran. The agency reported that the death toll has reached at least 62, with more than 2,300 injured. The group, which depends on a network of activists inside Iran for its information, has a track record of accurate reporting during previous unrest.

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled Iranian leader, made an urgent appeal to the US President Donald Trump, calling for immediate attention, support, and action. He highlighted that millions of Iranians faced live gunfire during recent street protests and were now subjected to a complete communications blackout, with no internet or landline access.

Pahlavi warned that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, fearing the collapse of his regime and encouraged by perceived US support for the protesters, threatened a brutal crackdown and intended to use the blackout to target young demonstrators.

“I have called the people to the streets to fight for their freedom and to overwhelm the security forces with sheer numbers. Last night they did that. Your threat to this criminal regime has also kept the regime’s thugs at bay. But time is of the essence. The people will be on the streets again in an hour. I am asking you to help,” he said.

He urged the US President, whom he described as a man of peace and integrity, to be prepared to intervene to assist the people of Iran.

At least 17 flydubai flights scheduled for Friday between Dubai and Iranian cities, comprising Tehran, Shiraz and Mashhad have been cancelled, according to the Dubai Airports website. As per Reuters, a flydubai spokesperson said that flights to Iran on Friday had been cancelled and that the airline "will continue to monitor the situation" and revise its flight schedule accordingly.

Supreme leader Khamenei said the US president, who he claimed judges the entire world arrogantly, should remember that tyrants and arrogant rulers such as Pharaoh, Nimrod, Mohammad Reza [Pahlavi] and others met their downfall at the height of their arrogance, adding that “he too will fall.”

Iran’s foreign minister on Friday accused the United States and Israel of stoking a growing protest movement in the country, while playing down the likelihood of direct foreign military action following US warnings over the crackdown on demonstrators, according to AFP.

“This is what the Americans and Israelis have stated, that they are directly intervening in the protests in Iran,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said during a visit to Lebanon.

“They are trying to transform the peaceful protests into divisive and violent ones,” he said, adding that “regarding the possibility of seeing military intervention against Iran, we believe there is a low possibility of this because their previous attempts were total failures.”

Iranian state media, which for years had ridiculed Pahlavi as being out of touch and corrupt, attributed Thursday night’s demonstrations, during which vehicles were set on fire and police kiosks attacked, to “monarchist terrorist elements".

Violence around the demonstrations has killed at least 50 people while more than 2,270 others have been detained, acording to the US based Human Rights Activists News Agency.

Addressing supporters in his first remarks on the protests that have been escalating since January 3, Khamenei stated that US President Donald Trump's hands "are stained with the blood of more than a thousand Iranians" and predicted that the "arrogant" US leader would be "overthrown" just like the imperial dynasty that ruled Iran until the 1979 revolution, according to AFP.

European Union's Kaja Kallas said that images from Tehran reveal a “disproportionate and heavy-handed” response by the security forces.

Germany condemned violence against protesters, stating the right to demonstrate and gather must be guaranteed and media in Iran must be able to report freely, according to Reuters.

Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas on X slammed Iran’s authorities, saying that shutting down the internet while violently suppressing protests exposes a regime that is afraid of its own people. “Any violence against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable,” she said on X.

"Last night in Tehran, a bunch of vandals came and destroyed a building that belongs to them to please the US president," Iran's Supreme leader Khamenei said in an address to supporters, as men and women in the audience chanted the mantra of "death to America".

"Everyone knows the Islamic republic came to power with the blood of hundreds of thousands of honourable people, it will not back down in the face of saboteurs," he added, according to AP.

Iran has “been told very strongly, even more strongly than I’m speaking to you right now, that if they do that, they’re going to have to pay hell,” Trump mentioned.

He demurred when asked if he’d meet with Pahlavi, according to AP.

“I’m not sure that it would be appropriate at this point to do that as president,” Trump said. “I think that we should let everybody go out there, and we see who emerges," he added.

Speaking in an interview with Sean Hannity aired Thursday night on Fox News, Trump went as far as to suggest 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei may be looking to leave Iran.

“He's looking to go someplace. It's getting very bad," he said.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Oman’s foreign minister will visit Iran on Saturday, according to Reuters.

Iran’s judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei promised that punishment for protesters “will be decisive, maximum and without any legal leniency", according to AP.

While calling on Iran to restore the internet access in the country, the European Union condemned any violence against protestors.

"The people of Iran are expressing their legitimate aspiration for a better life. Any violence against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable," EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said, according to AFP.

"We urge the Iranian authorities to uphold the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and to restore access to the internet for all," he added.

Addressing supporters in his first remarks on the protests that have been escalating since January 3, Khamenei stated that US President Donald Trump's hands "are stained with the blood of more than a thousand Iranians" and predicted that the "arrogant" US leader would be "overthrown" just like the imperial dynasty that ruled Iran until the 1979 revolution, according to AFP.

At least 17 flydubai flights scheduled for Friday between Dubai and Iranian cities, comprising Tehran, Shiraz and Mashhad have been cancelled, according to the Dubai Airports website. As per Reuters, a flydubai spokesperson said that flights to Iran on Friday had been cancelled and that the airline "will continue to monitor the situation" and revise its flight schedule accordingly.

Iranian activist and journalist Masih Alinejad requested the international community to support ongoing protests in Iran, stating the demands of the Iranian people are unequivocal as demonstrations enter their twelfth day, according to ANI.

Alinejad referred to the continuing protests and her appearance on Fox News, stating, "On the Fox News network @FoxNews and on the twelfth day of the Iranian people's protests: The message of the Iranian people is clear. The people do not want this regime and will never allow the reformists to take power."

Viral videos showed large-scale protests in other Iranian cities, including Tabriz in the north, the holy city of Mashhad in the east, and the Kurdish-majority west, including the regional center Kermanshah. Some footage indicated that protesters had set fire to the entrance of the regional state television office in central Isfahan, though the authenticity of the images could not be immediately confirmed, according to AFP.

Addressing supporters in his first remarks on the protests that have been escalating since January 3, Khamenei stated that US President Donald Trump's hands "are stained with the blood of more than a thousand Iranians" and predicted that the "arrogant" US leader would be "overthrown" just like the imperial dynasty that ruled Iran until the 1979 revolution, according to AFP.

The Consulate General of Iran in Hyderabad said that the situation in Iran remains stable and fully under control, noting that there is no threat to Indian citizens residing in or visiting the country, according to an official release, according to ANI.

The Consulate General said all necessary measures are put in effect to ensure the safety and well-being of all foreign nationals, Indian citizens.

Supreme leader Khameni stated on Friday that his country won’t back down against “mercenaries” or those who get involved in “vandalism,” reported state-run Press TV.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that “there are some rioters” who aim to please the US president Trump by damaging public property, according to Reuters.

At least six flights scheduled for Friday between Dubai and multiple Iranian cities, including Tehran, Shiraz and Mashhad, were canceled, according to the Dubai Airports website.

Turkish Airlines cancelled seven scheduled flights from Istanbul to Iran on Friday, including five services to the capital, Tehran, which has been affected by protests over rising living costs, a company spokesperson told AFP. The remaining cancelled flights were destined for the cities of Tabriz and Mashad, the spokesperson added.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sharply criticised demonstrators in a speech broadcast on state television on Friday. The 86-year-old leader accused those taking part in the protests of “ruining their own streets to make the president of another country happy,” a remark aimed at US President Donald Trump, according to AP.

Iran's Supreme leader Khamenei urged citizens to preserve unity, according to Reuters

Iranians mounted the largest demonstrations so far in a nearly two-week protest wave driven by frustration over soaring living costs, with crowds chanting slogans such as "death to the dictator" and torching government buildings, according to videos released on Friday, reported AFP.

Internet monitoring group Netblocks stated that officials enforced a complete shutdown of online connectivity late Thursday, adding early Friday that the nation has "now been offline for 12 hours... in an attempt to suppress sweeping protests".

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to give a speech in a few minutes on "the terrorist actions" in the country, according to Iranian state TV on Friday, amid demonstrations over economic hardships.

Iran's exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi posted on X, “I am proud of each and every one of you who took over the streets across Iran on Thursday night (18 Dey). You saw how a massive crowd forces the repressive forces to retreat. Those of you who were hesitant, join your fellow compatriots on Friday night (19 Dey - 8 PM), and make the crowd even larger so that the regime's repressive power becomes even weaker. I also invite field leaders to try to connect different crowd routes to each other and make them bigger. I know that despite the internet and communication cuts, you will not abandon the streets. Be assured that victory belongs to you!”

Iran and the US have seesawed between enmity and grudging diplomacy in the years since, and relations peaked with the 2015 nuclear deal, which saw Iran greatly limit its program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. But Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord in 2018, sparking tensions in the Mideast that intensified after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Trump told Hannity on Fox News: “There’s so many people protesting. Nobody’s ever seen anything like what’s happening right now, but I have put Iran on notice that if they start shooting at them — these people are totally unarmed people, and they love their country."

When asked if the Iranian regime risks collapse, Trump told Fox News, “It could be.” Trump warned the Iranian regime could collapse amid protests, vowing the US is ready to hit back “hard” if Tehran turns its guns on unarmed civilians.

Asked if Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has a Plan B to go to Russia amid nationwide protests, US President Donald Trump told Fox News “he’s looking to go some place."