Exiled prince urges protesters to block streets to hinder crackdown

Video shows Iranian security forces beating protesters in Mashhad, as officers moved to prevent a demonstration on Saturday night.

Footage shows a young man being hit on the head with batons and officers attempting to run over him with a motorcycle in Mashhad. Another clip shows a young woman shouting at security forces as she tries to defend herself.

Several protesters were killed and wounded in the city of Malekshahi in Ilam province on Saturday in what appears to be the deadliest crackdown on protests yet, videos and eyewitness reports obtained by Iran International show.

The protesters were killed or injured as a result of direct fire by security forces.

Local sources said that as the number of injured has risen, medical facilities have come under increasing strain and are in urgent need of blood supplies to continue treating the wounded.

"We follow closely the unfolding situation across Iran, with demonstrations reflecting the demands of many Iranians," a spokesperson for the European Union's External Action Service said on Saturday.

"We are concerned by the reported deaths and injuries and urge Iran's security forces to exercise maximum restraint in handling peaceful protests. Socio-economic challenges were acknowledged by authorities and should be addressed through inclusive dialogue, not through violence."

The European Union called on Iranian authorities "to uphold the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly and to enable the free flow of information and access to the internet."

"All individuals arrested for peacefully exercising their rights should be immediately released."

At least 15 protesters and one member of security forces have been killed during the seven-day nationwide protests in Iran, US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported on Saturday.

Protests, strikes, or gatherings were recorded at 174 locations across 60 cities in 25 of Iran's 31 provinces over the past seven days, the report said.

At least 582 protesters including a significant number of minors have been detained, though the real number is likely higher due to reporting restrictions and security pressure, HRANA added.

Reports and verified videos show the use of live fire, tear gas, and physical force, as well as violent arrests in public spaces. Some injured protesters reportedly avoided hospitals for fear of arrest.

The Komala Party of Kurdistan, one of five major parties influential in strikes in Iran’s Kurdish regions, called on Saturday for nationwide strikes and protests.

The statement said strikes by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants in Tehran have continued and spread to other cities and provinces.

Komala condemned a violent crackdown, including the use of live fire, and the killing and wounding of protesters.

It said the current uprising was a continuation of the protests of December 2017, November 2019, and the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement in 2022, in which Kurdish regions played a key role.

In its statement, Komala voiced strong support for the protests and called on all segments of society to join nationwide strikes, while urging the international community to increase pressure to halt the crackdown.