“’There wasn’t even time for CPR’: Iran medics describe hospitals overwhelmed with dead and injured protesters,” BBC, 1-10-26. I’ve heard that much more than 2,000 have been killed.
“Iran Death Toll Rises as Crackdown Intensifies,” WSJ, 1-10-26. There is no particular demand (i.e., better economy, women’s head coverings, water scarcity) but instead a call for the Regime to step down, to leave. The people have nothing to lose. They want freedom.
“Iran’s Hackers Warn Israel’s Mossad—We Have Hacked Your Phones,” Forbes, 1-10-26. “The mass protests in Iran are now lauded as the greatest domestic threat to the regime in decades. “What began as protests against a failing economy has turned into a potential overthrow of Ali Khamenei’s oppressive regime,” the Daily Telegraph reports.”
This blog has always had the focus of what the Regime says and does, and arguing that until Iran becomes “normal” that the Revolutionary impulse for Shia-Mahdi-based Islam will run off the rails at some point, besides being a danger for the region. So to run the few Pres. Trump stories and U.S. foreign policy is not directly the purpose of this blog. But here is one of those exceptions. “Trump says U.S. is ready to help Iranians get freedom,” Politico, 1-10-26. BTW, this is an appropriate time to respond to allegations that will arise in the future, perhaps even years from now. You’ll remember the claims by a number of U.S. critics and certainly the ISI government, that the U.S. and U.K. overthrew PM Mosaddegh in 1953. These statements rarely take into account the Iran citizens and officials’ actions, basically asserting that a handful of CIA or UK agents could somehow control thousands of persons and beyond to the general population. Nor do those claims evaluate the Iranian people’s displeasure with Mosaddegh nor the appearances of his moving toward the USSR, and what that would mean. Well, here we are again, with the U.S. making threats that it would assist citizens being slaughtered and the Mossad claiming to assist the protesters (but saying they are not involved in Regime change, just acting to protect Israel). Please don’t take the position that the U.S. or Israel or anyone other than the Regime is responsible for influencing the people to protest and now revolt. Even the NYT today tells us that economics is what set this off, not Pres. Trump or anyone other than the Ayatollah and his henchmen. “Inside Iran’s Protests: How a Plunging Currency Set Off Wide Unrest,” NYT, 1-10-26. This is not a U.S. coup.
“Iran’s exiled crown prince rises as a figure in protests, decades after leaving his homeland,” AP, 1-10-26.
If you protest, parade, march, chant, you are targeted for death. (that’s not what the Ayatollah said! but we knew from his history that he didn’t mean it). “Protesters and those aiding them will be tried on the charges of ‘waging war against God,’ a death penalty charge,” I24, 1-10-26. There’s another obvious point here–the Ayatollah and his cronies don’t speak for Allah, or for God. I know that God doesn’t order governments to do this to their citizens.
“Protests in Iran near 2-week mark as authorities intensify crackdown on demonstrators,” AP, 1-10-26.