Iran Under Total Blackout As Death Toll Mounts In Massive Anti-Regime Protests

TEHRAN/LONDON – Iran remains in the grip of a nationwide communications blackout as anti-government protests, the largest since 2022, entered their 13th day on Saturday, January 10, 2026. What began as an outcry over economic collapse has evolved into a full-scale uprising against the clerical regime, sparked further by the rallying cries of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.

According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) and the Associated Press, the confirmed death toll has jumped to at least 62 people, with thousands more detained as security forces shift toward a more violent suppression strategy.

1. Nationwide Blackout: “Digital Darkness”

Since late Thursday night (January 8), the Iranian government has imposed a near-total internet and telephone shutdown.

• The Scale: Monitoring groups like NetBlocks confirm that both mobile and landline connectivity have been severed nationwide.
• The Reason: Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, warn that the blackout is a “preface to mass slaughter,” intended to hide the true extent of state violence from the global community.
• Travel Impact: At least 17 flights between Dubai and Iran were cancelled on Friday, with Turkish Airlines also suspending services due to the instability.

2. Khamenei vs. Trump: War of Words

In his first major address since the unrest began, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (86) took a defiant stance:

• The Accusation: Khamenei labeled protesters “vandals” and “terrorists” acting on behalf of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel.
• The Threat: He claimed Trump’s hands are “stained with the blood of Iranians” and predicted the U.S. President would be “overthrown.”
• Decisive Punishment: Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, vowed that the regime’s response would be “maximum and without any legal leniency.”

Meanwhile, President Trump has repeatedly warned on social media and in interviews that the U.S. will “hit Iran very hard” if it begins mass killings of peaceful demonstrators, specifically citing the recent U.S. raid that seized Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro as a precedent for his administration’s willingness to act.

3. The “Pahlavi Factor”

Protests intensified significantly following a call to action by Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last Shah.

• The Rallying Cry: Pahlavi urged Iranians to chant “Death to the Dictator” and “Bring Back the Monarchy” simultaneously at 8:00 PM on Thursday and Friday.
• The Plea: On Friday, Pahlavi sent an urgent message to Trump: “Mr. President, please be prepared to intervene to help the people of Iran. They are facing not just bullets but a total communications blackout.”
• Ground Reality: Chants in support of the monarchy have been heard in over 46 cities, including Khamenei’s own hometown of Mashhad.

4. Key Protest Statistics (as of Jan 10, 2026)