Hometown of slain teen protester joins nationwide rallies

A group of protesters took to the streets in the western town of Dehloran in Ilam province on Wednesday night, chanting “This is the national slogan: Reza, Reza Pahlavi,” videos sent to Iran International show.

Republican Senator Pete Ricketts called for increased pressure on the government in Iran as people take to the streets to demand change.

“We must continue to ratchet up pressure on the ayatollah and his band of thugs, while supporting the brave Iranian people who risk their lives in their pursuit of freedom,” the Nebraska senator posted on X on Wednesday.​

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is a corrupt, terrorist regime that brutally represses and murders its own people. It is clearly willing to sacrifice the livelihood of every single Iranian just to stay in power,” he said.

Senator Rick Scott of Florida said he feels encouraged by the protests in Iran and hopes they will continue and lead to a change of leadership in the country.

“As we look at the start of a new year, it’s encouraging to see Iranian protests that call for an end to the abusive Iranian dictatorship,” Scott posted on X on Wednesday. “I hope the people of Iran continue to stand up to the evil Iranian regime.”

Iranian director Jafar Panahi shared a video of protesters in Iran, saying that “shared pain has now turned into a cry in the streets” and that the protests are an uprising “to push history forward.”

“Shared pain has now turned into a cry in the streets; for four days people have stood firm, not just to shout but to change. The streets are not claimed by guns, but by determination,” Panahi wrote on Instagram on Wednesday.

“When there is nothing left to lose, fear crumbles, voices merge, silence breaks, and the way back closes. This uprising is a decision of will: to stay, to push forward, and to move history,” he added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided not to publicly comment on the ongoing protests in Iran, amid concerns that doing so could give Tehran a pretext to target Israel and divert attention from its domestic economic problems, Israel’s Channel 12 reported.

The decision followed a briefing Netanyahu held on the issue at his hotel in West Palm Beach, Florida, according to the report.

“We’re watching dramatic domestic events in Iran, but it’s too early to tell what the ramifications will be,” Channel 12 quoted a senior Israeli official as saying.