Eye on Iran's Protests - October 8, 2022

A protest movement is sweeping Iran in the aftermath of the killing of Mahsa Amini at the hands of the so-called “morality police.” UANI’s Eye on Iran's Protests is a daily news and events round-up to increase awareness of this movement and the regime’s brutal response. Now is the time to support the Iranian people.

Iran Protests Reignite as Universities, Schools Reopen | Wall Street Journal

Day 23 of Iran’s protest movement saw an uptick in anti-regime activity. Today, the first day of the Iranian week, universities and schools reopened, and protests renewed with more intensity than the prior two days of relative calm, the Wall Street Journal reported. Shopkeepers went on strike, and student protests broke out at educational institutions across the country. President Raisi – ever out-of-touch with the wishes of his own people – again blamed foreign enemies for the unrest when he visited the all-female al-Zahra University in Tehran to mark the new academic year.  

President Raisi derided protesters in his speech at al-Zahra University in Tehran.

Are Hijab Protests ‘The Beginning Of The End’ For Iran’s Regime? | The Guardian

Since President Raisi came to power in Iran, the so-called “Morality Police” have become increasingly active and violent against women. Their strict enforcement of the hijab mandate is part of a premeditated plan on behalf of the current administration to implement “strategies to spread cultural chastity,” the Guardian reported. A report in 2018 showing that 70% of women either did not believe in the hijab or were among the “improperly veiled” points to just how out-of-touch the current ruling establishment is with the wishes of the Iranian people. An Iran analyst described the mood in the country as “revolutionary.”  

Iran's Top Clerics, Police Dismiss Protests, As Unrest Continues | Iran International

Iran’s police chief Hossein Ashtari gave no indication of reforms to be made to the regime’s policing of women. Quite to the contrary, he told religious leaders in Qom that the so-called “Morality Police” would resume their activities in November. He overlooked the people’s anger with the regime – spurred by the killing of Mahsa Amini – and claimed that financial problems, social media, and foreign powers were to blame. He also maintained that the police had done nothing wrong with regard to Mahsa Amini’s treatment.  

Saturday Protests Across Iran: Midnight Update | Iran Wire

Protests in Iran have been reported in Tehran, Karaj, Isfahan, Abadan, Mashhad, Qazvin, Arak, Damghan, Kermanshah, Shiraz, Rafsanjan and Mahabad. They are more intense than in prior days, according to multiple media sources. Activists reported – and videos on social media confirmed – that protesters were being killed. The average age of those killed in the anti-regime protests is below the age of 20, activists claimed. 

“Death to the Dictator” chants could be heard at large protests in Nazi Abad, Tehran.

School girls shouted “Death to the Dictator” outside the gates of their school in Saqqez, western Iran.

Protesters attacked security forces. One resident in Iran described today’s tumult as a “warzone.” 

The police station at the Tehran Bazaar was set on fire.

Protesters drove police out of Sanandaj, Iran.

Protesters appear to take over the Gheshlagh bridge in Hamedan.

A series of businesses in Shiraz closed in support of the protest movement.

Workers Strike, Clashes Erupt As Iran Protests Enter Fourth Week | Al Arabiya

A Kurdish human rights organization reported widespread strikes in various cities in the Kurdistan province as well as West Azerbaijan province. A protester reportedly changed the wording of a billboard from “the police are the servants of the people” to “the police are the murderers of the people.”

A police officer fired a gun directly at protesters in Tehran.

A gang of security forces beat up a protester.

A protestor pleaded with security forces not to “beat up [his] wife, [because] she is pregnant.” They proceeded to beat her up and arrest them both for protesting the murder of Mahsa Amini.

The regime in Tehran has allegedly begun to deploy Arabic-speaking armed elements to help suppress the protests. Sources reported that Iraqi militiamen from the PMUs and Lebanese Hezbollah units are now acting as mercenaries inside Iran.

State media was hacked during airing of the news with a scene depicting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in flames, and photos of the victims of the regime’s violence.

France Urges Its Nationals To Leave Iran | Reuters

France urged its citizens to leave Iran for fear that they would be arbitrarily detained by Iran’s security forces. The regime has already detained nine European nationals on trumped up charges of promoting the unrest.

Can Elon Musk’s Satellites Beat Iranian Internet Blackouts? It Depends. | Washington Post Editorial

Elon Musk’s satellite internet service provider Starlink faces obstacles in Iran. The U.S. government authorized Starlink to beam its signal into the country in the hopes that it would help Iranian citizens circumvent the government of Iran’s efforts to shut down communications in the country. However, as this article notes, the signal is only one part of the equation. Iranians also need 30-pound routers to receive the signal. The routers are difficult to conceal when they are being used. And, according to this article, Iran’s permission may be needed for the International Telecommunications Union to grant approval to the provider to broadcast into Iran. These logistical and bureaucratic challenges are opportunities for governments around the world to get involved.