Pakistan urges citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Iran
Pakistan’s foreign ministry issued a travel advisory urging its citizens to avoid non-essential trips to Iran, citing nationwide protests and security concerns.
"For their safety and security, Pakistani nationals are advised to avoid all unnecessary travel to the Islamic Republic of Iran until conditions improve," it said in a Saturday statement.
"Pakistani nationals currently residing in Iran are urged to exercise extreme caution, remain vigilant, minimise non-essential travel, and stay in regular contact with the Pakistani Missions."
Australia’s support for Iranian protesters was stressed by comments from Senator Raff Ciccone, who wrote on X praising what he described as the extraordinary courage of Iranians demonstrating despite the risks.
“The bravery of the Iranian people in the face of relentless repression is extraordinary,” Ciccone wrote, adding that protesters continue to take to the streets while refusing to surrender their dignity, freedom or right to shape their future. Their struggle, he said, reflects universal principles, including the right to live without fear, speak freely and stand equal under the law.
Australia, Ciccone said, condemns the killing of protesters, arbitrary arrests and violence by the Iranian authorities. He added that he stands with Iranians worldwide, including the diaspora in Australia, who he said carry the weight of the struggle every day.
Nationwide protests in Iran stretched into their 13th consecutive day on Friday as demonstrators returned to the streets for a second night following a call by exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi, with authorities enforcing a sweeping internet blackout and threatening severe punishment.
Videos and eyewitness accounts reviewed by Iran International showed crowds gathering after dark in Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad, Tabriz and other cities despite gunfire, blocked roads and widespread disruptions to communications. The demonstrations followed massive rallies the previous night that was described as among the largest since the unrest began.
Eyewitnesses in Tehran described demonstrators regrouping after nightfall in multiple neighborhoods, blocking major roads, setting fire to police vehicles, and chanting anti-government slogans as security forces attempted to disperse crowds. Chants of “Death to the dictator” and “Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, my life for Iran” echoed through the capital, while car horns blared continuously in what witnesses described as coordinated acts of defiance.
In Isfahan, video verified by Iran International showed a large crowd chanting “Khamenei is a murderer, his rule is illegitimate,” alongside monarchist slogans including “Long live the King.”
In Mashhad, protesters filled major streets chanting “This is the last battle, Pahlavi will return,” according to eyewitnesses, as demonstrations continued despite heavy security deployments.
Footage from Tabriz showed protesters marching through city streets as the sound of gunfire rang out nearby, while other videos captured demonstrators disabling surveillance cameras and erecting makeshift barricades.
Eyewitness accounts from southern and central cities described similar scenes, with crowds converging on symbolic locations, burning banners and posters associated with the Islamic Republic, and remaining in the streets for hours despite internet outages and disruptions to phone service and electronic payments.
Several witnesses told Iran International that security forces appeared overstretched in some areas, relying on intimidation tactics, warning shots and use of force. In other locations, particularly in southeastern Iran, rights groups reported that security forces fired directly on protesters in Zahedan after Friday prayers, wounding several people.
Authorities threaten executions, tighten pressure
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned US President Donald Trump that he would be brought down.
“Trump should know that world tyrants such as Pharaoh, Nimrod, Reza Shah and Mohammad Reza were brought down at the peak of their arrogance. He too will be brought down,” Khamenei said in remarks aired on state television.
The Islamic Republic, he said, would not retreat in the face of unrest. “Everyone should know that the Islamic Republic came to power with the blood of hundreds of thousands of honorable people, and it will not back down in the face of saboteurs,” he added.
Tehran’s public prosecutor, Ali Salehi, said those accused of arson, destruction of public property or armed clashes with security forces would face charges of moharebeh, an offense that carries the death penalty under Iranian law.
Separately, Ali Larijani, Iran’s security chief, blamed what he described as “armed protesters” for fatalities during the unrest and said security forces had begun arresting what he called ringleaders. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards intelligence organization also issued a warning saying the continuation of protests was “unacceptable.”
The Supreme National Security Council accused foreign powers of steering the unrest and said security forces and the judiciary would show no leniency toward what it called saboteurs. Education officials announced that schools in several provinces would move to online classes, citing security concerns and disruptions caused by the blackout.
Exiled prince urges sustained action and strikes
Exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi urged protesters to return to the streets over the weekend, push toward central city areas and prepare for prolonged presence. He also called on workers in transportation, oil, gas and the broader energy sector to begin nationwide strikes aimed at cutting off state revenues.
Pahlavi said the demonstrations had exposed vulnerabilities within the security apparatus and appealed to members of the armed forces who support the opposition’s defection platform to further disrupt repression. He also said he was preparing to return to Iran and stand alongside protesters at what he described as a decisive moment.
International pressure builds
UN human rights chief Volker Türk said he was “deeply disturbed” by reports of violence and urged independent investigations and restoration of communications. The European Union condemned any excessive use of force and called for restraint, while France, Britain and Germany issued a joint statement urging Iranian authorities to protect peaceful assembly.
US President Donald Trump warned Iran against killing protesters and said Washington was watching closely, while the State Department cautioned Tehran not to test US resolve.
Several airlines, including Flydubai and Turkish Airlines, cancelled flights to Iran as unrest intensified, underscoring the widening international impact of a crisis entering its second week.
A group of Iranians living in New York City gathered in a public rally on Friday to voice support for Iran’s national uprising and for exiled prince Reza Pahlavi.
Participants said the protest aimed to show solidarity with demonstrators inside Iran, as authorities imposed nationwide internet shutdown during unrest. Shutting down connectivity, they said, would not silence dissent, adding that public anger and demands for change continue despite restrictions.
Foreign ministers from Australia, Canada and the European Union issued a joint statement on Saturday praising Iranian protesters and condemning the authorities’ actions.
“We commend the bravery of the Iranian people as they stand up for their dignity and their fundamental right to peaceful protest,” the ministers said. They also condemned the killing of protesters, violence, arbitrary arrests and intimidation by the authorities against civilians.
The statement urged Iran to immediately end the use of lethal force by its security bodies, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and the Basij. Iranian authorities, it added, bear responsibility for protecting freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear of reprisal.
Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi on Saturday called on protesters to continue their street demonstrations for two more nights and seize city centers, while urging energy and transport workers to start nationwide strikes.
In a message addressed to protesters, Pahlavi praised what he described as their “courage and resilience” after millions heeded his call for protests on Thursday and Friday, saying their mass turnout delivered a decisive response to threats issued by the Islamic Republic’s leadership.
He said the scale of the demonstrations had shaken the ruling establishment and exposed the fragility of its security apparatus.
Pahlavi said the next phase of the movement must focus on both sustained street presence and economic pressure, arguing that cutting off the Islamic Republic's financial lifelines would cripple its ability to continue its crackdown.
He specifically called on workers in transportation, oil and gas, and the broader energy sector to begin a nationwide strike.
The exiled prince urged protesters to take to the streets again on Saturday and Sunday evenings starting at 6 p.m., calling on them to carry national flags, symbols, and images and to reclaim public spaces.
He stressed that the objective had shifted beyond symbolic demonstrations, saying protesters should prepare to seize and hold central areas of major cities.
To achieve this, Pahlavi encouraged demonstrators to move toward city centers from multiple routes, link separate crowds together, and prepare for prolonged stays in the streets by arranging basic supplies in advance.
Addressing members of the security forces and armed units who have expressed support for the opposition’s defection platform, Pahlavi urged them to further slow and disrupt what he described as the Islamic Republic's “repression machine,” saying the goal was to disable it entirely at a decisive moment.
He also said he was making preparations to return to Iran, pledging to stand alongside the Iranian people at what he described as the victory of a “national revolution,” adding that he believed such a moment was approaching rapidly.
