Dag tolv av protester i Iran: ”Behöver en enande figur”
Uppdaterad 22.21 | Publicerad 17.09
Trump's threat: "Strike very hard"
Day 12 of protests in Iran: "Need a unifying figure"
Agnès Ericson,
Jonathan Norberg,
Oskar Forsberg
Updated 22.21 | Published 17.09
The protests in Iran began before the New Year. Photo: AP
"Death to the dictator," chanted the demonstrators on the streets of Iran.
They are entering their twelfth day of protests.
At the same time, the internet and telephony have been shut down throughout the country.
Despite over 2,200 arrests and at least 45 deaths, the protests against the Iranian regime do not appear to be calming down.
According to the AP, hundreds of protests are estimated to have taken place in all 31 provinces in the country since their outbreak in the intervening days.
In videos seen by the BBC, protesters can be heard chanting “Death to the dictator,” while a statue of top general Qasem Soleimani has been torn down in the city of Qaemiyeh.
But another slogan can also be heard: “Long live the Shah.”
The chant is interpreted as referring to the heir to the country’s last Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was overthrown in the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Images are circulating on social media that purport to show protesters holding the old Iranian flag – an act that could lead to harsh punishments.
The crown prince’s instruction: “Chant”
The protests have led the last Shah’s son, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, to issue a call for Thursday and Friday.
– At exactly 8 p.m., no matter where you are, on the streets or even from your own home, I urge you to start chanting at exactly the same time, he says in a video clip on social media.
The action, to be carried out at 5 p.m. Swedish time, may lead to further instructions from the crown prince.
– Based on your response, I will announce the next call to action, he says.
Earlier this week, Pahlavi said he was ready to lead the country, if only in a transitional government, if the Islamist regime in Iran were to fall.
"Our nation needs a unifying figure to guide a transition away from tyranny and toward a democratic future," he writes in the Washington Post.
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urged authorities in a state television broadcast earlier this week to "only talk" with the protesters.
- But there is no use in talking to rioters. Rioters must be put in their place, he added.
Internet shut down
Access to the internet has also been blocked throughout the country. This is reported by Reuters, which refers to the organization Netblocks.
Telephony is also said to be down, writes AP.
Iran has previously shut down access to the internet in the country when demonstrations have been ongoing and referred to it as a security measure.
Kristersson: Fördömer våldet
Donald Trump says in a radio interview with conservative Hugh Hewitt that the United States will hit back "very hard" if the regime in Iran kills the people who are rioting.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) says in a statement on X that Sweden condemns “all attempts to suppress the peaceful protests”.
“The Iranian people are rising up once again against oppression. We hear their voices and we support their courageous fight for freedom”, writes Kristersson.
FACTS
The protests in Iran
- The protests in Iran began on December 28 and have their background in widespread dissatisfaction with the country’s economic situation.
- The Iranian currency, the rial, has collapsed in value, and inflation has reached skyrocketing levels, which has made it difficult for many Iranians to make ends meet. The protests have spread across the country, with participation from different social groups, including shopkeepers and students.
- The dissatisfaction has not only been directed at economic policy but has also broadened to criticize the entire regime in Tehran.
- The demonstrations are the largest since 2022 and have been met with violence from security forces, leading to deaths and arrests.
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