Amid protests that began days ago in the Iranian capital, Tehran, calling for the overthrow of the regime, demonstrations reignited on Saturday evening, with crowds gathering in two areas—Vali Asr intersection and the theatre square. According to videos circulated on social media, protesters chanted slogans such as "Death to the dictator" and "The country is devoid of water, and pressures are increasing." In response, Iranian security forces fired tear gas at demonstrators in an attempt to disperse them from the theatre square.
Massive Protests
Meanwhile, a celebration over a local football team's victory on Friday night in Tehran and several other Iranian cities turned into a venue for massive protests against the Iranian regime, with demonstrators chanting anti-Khamenei slogans like "Death to the Islamic Republic," "Death to the dictator," "All these years are crimes," and "Death to this rule," continuing the protests that began 15 days ago in Khuzestan. Protesters also chanted anti-regime slogans denouncing the "ongoing massacres" and the "water scarcity crisis" during their gathering at the theatre square in Tehran.
Ongoing Internet Shutdown
Simultaneously, as authorities continue to cut off internet access, Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi on Saturday urged human rights organizations and international bodies to take immediate action to prevent service disruptions in Iran. Rajavi, the leader of the Iranian Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization, stated via her Twitter account that Khamenei wants to prevent the voices of the uprising citizens from coming together and reaching the world through internet disconnection. Amnesty International also emphasized on Thursday that Iranian authorities have disrupted internet service when protests erupted over water shortages in Ahvaz, representing a serious violation of the right to freedom of expression. They added that Iranian authorities have a horrific record of using internet shutdowns to obscure their use of lethal and unlawful force. It is noteworthy that Tehran has joined the current protests, which were initiated by Arabs in Ahvaz and have spread to other provinces across Iran. The Ahvaz region has witnessed protests over water shortages for over a week, accompanied by clashes resulting in fatalities and injuries among protesters.
