Millions of Iranian citizens have taken to the streets in multiple areas across Iran to reject the violent riots taking place across the country and take a stance against foreign interference, following continuous threats of war from the US and Israel.
Several popular gatherings, protests, and marches took place on 12 January under the title of National Solidarity and Honoring Peace and Friendship.
“Participants swept through several provinces, raising slogans against the US and Israel, and expressing their rejection of foreign interference in their country’s affairs,” Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Iran reported.
“Iranians demonstrated in rejection of the armed riots and the accompanying unrest, stressing their commitment to security and stability.”
This coincided with several more funeral processions for members of the police and security forces who have been killed in recent days.
Protests to reject the vandalism and destruction of mosques are also being held across the country.
“We have come to support our leader [Ali Khamenei], our ideals, and every single one of our martyrs,” one woman told Iran’s Student News Network (SNN). “Let our leader know, our lives are not more precious than the martyrs of the 12-day [Israel–Iran] war … We’ll give our lives to protect our leader and our ideals,” she added.
Another girl told SNN that those rioting “are not the Iranian people,” while defending citizens’ rights to protest peacefully when faced with economic hardship. “If [the rioters] were truly of the people, they would be here with us now.”
Protests erupted across Iran late last month following the collapse of the currency, a result of years of brutal US sanctions. Many of these protests quickly turned violent, with armed rioters killing over 100 members of the security forces in recent weeks.
Civilians are also being targeted by rioters in a bid to pin the violence on authorities. This includes two young girls, one of them a three-year-old, who were killed by rioters in Isfahan and Kermanshah in the last few days.
Scores of mosques, shops, government buildings, ambulances, vehicles, and homes have been vandalized.
Hundreds of rioters have been detained over the past few days. Many were found to be in contact with foreign intelligence. Iranian authorities announced on 12 January that a shipment of over 200 pistols and shotguns was seized in West Azerbaijan province recently.
The Mossad also publicly urged Iranians to take to the streets.
Since the protests began, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to attack the Islamic Republic. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said, “We’re looking at it very seriously.”
“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options. We’ll make a determination,” he went on to say.
In response to Trump’s newest threat, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that while Tehran stands ready for dialogue based on “mutual respect,” it is also “fully prepared for war.”
During the 12-day Israel–Iran war in June, Iranian ballistic missiles directly hit multiple Israeli military sites and caused massive destruction across Israel. Tehran also responded to the US attack on its nuclear facilities by targeting Washington’s Al-Udeid base in Qatar.
“Let us be clear: in the case of an attack on Iran, the occupied territories as well as all US bases and ships will be our legitimate target,” Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said over the weekend, warning against any “miscalculation.”
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