Iran on the edge of social revolution – South China Morning Post

Washington is concerned by reports the Islamic Republic has deployed Hezbollah members and Iraqi militias to suppress peaceful protests, wrote the Persian-language account of the United States Department of State on X.

“The United States is concerned by reports that the Islamic Republic has employed Hezbollah terrorists and Iraqi militias to crack down on peaceful protests,” the Saturday post said.

Iranian authorities, the State Department added, have spent billions of dollars belonging to the Iranian people on what it described as terrorist proxy forces, warning that using those forces against Iran’s own citizens would amount to another profound betrayal of the population.

Two internationally recognized Iranian filmmakers warned about the consequences of cutting Iranians’ communication with the outside world in a joint statement.

"In recent days, after millions of Iranians took to the streets against the Islamic Republic, authorities turned again to their most stark tool of repression by shutting down internet access as well as mobile and landline phone services inside the country, while also blocking contact with the outside world," Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof wrote.

Experience, they said, shows such shutdowns are used to conceal violence during the suppression of protests.

The filmmakers said they are deeply concerned for the lives of fellow citizens, families, colleagues and friends left defenseless, and urged the international community, human rights organizations and media to urgently find ways to ensure access to independent information and oversight, warning that silence today would carry lasting consequences.

Protesters in Mahdasht, Alborz province, set fires in the streets on Friday night.

A video shows demonstrators chanting, “This is the final battle, Pahlavi will return.”

Marco Rubio wrote on X that the United States supports the brave people of Iran.

“The United States supports the brave people of Iran,” the said in the post.

Hundreds of Iranian residents in Toronto gathered in support of Iran’s national uprising, holding a protest outside the offices of the Canadian national broadcaster CBC.

Demonstrators called on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to provide broader coverage of protests inside Iran, according to reports received by Iran International. Participants pointed to widespread internet shutdowns imposed by the Islamic Republic, urging the network to amplify the voices of Iranian protesters and reflect developments on the ground.