Tehran — Iran has witnessed two consecutive nights of intense anti-government protests, with demonstrators setting fire to a mosque in Tehran and hoisting the pre-1979 revolution flag, according to eyewitness accounts and videos circulating online.
A 60-year-old woman identified as Ladan told The New York Times that she took to the streets for a second night in Tehran’s Sa’adat Abad neighborhood, where she saw protesters torch a mosque. Similar demonstrations were reported on Friday night in Mashhad, Tabriz, Urmia, Isfahan, Karaj, and Yazd, indicating a widening nationwide movement.
Videos published by BBC Persian showed crowds chanting anti-government slogans, calling for the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and expressing support for a return to monarchy. Despite warnings broadcast on state television urging parents to keep their children away from protests—and cautions that authorities would not be responsible if violence occurred—thousands defied the calls and returned to the streets amid continued internet disruptions.
Amir Reza, a 42-year-old engineer in Tehran, said he heard gunshots and stun grenades before plainclothes militia and police began firing, prompting him to leave the area. He added that security forces fired into the air to disperse demonstrators.
The protests began peacefully on December 28 with traders at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar but quickly escalated into violence. The unrest has now continued for 13 days. Time magazine reported that more than 200 protesters were shot dead in Tehran alone last Thursday.
Iran has blamed the United States for inciting the violence, telling the UN Security Council that foreign provocation turned peaceful protests violent. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump warned that any killing of protesters by Iranian authorities would trigger a “powerful response,” claiming the Iranian government is “in serious trouble.”
