Protesters take to streets in northern Iran
Protesters took to the streets in Shahsavar, Mazandaran province in northern Iran, on Sunday night and chanted “Long live the Shah (King),” according to a video sent to Iran International.
Protesters took to the streets in Shahsavar, Mazandaran province in northern Iran, on Sunday night and chanted “Long live the Shah (King),” according to a video sent to Iran International.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed protests in Iran in separate calls on Sunday with the foreign ministers of Cyprus and France, State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
“Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Republic of Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos,” Pigott said in a readout. “The two leaders discussed the United States’ counternarcotics operations in the Caribbean and the protests in Iran.”
In a separate call, Rubio spoke with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. “The two leaders discussed protests in Iran, the recent US law enforcement operation in Venezuela, and diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war,” Pigott said.
Germany’s foreign minister said he would raise Iran’s protests and the government’s response in talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, describing Tehran’s leadership as having lost legitimacy.
“The people are protesting against this regime. A regime that shuts down the internet, that restricts the right to communication, has basically lost its legitimacy. They are afraid of their own population,” Johann Wadephul said in a video he posted on his Instagram account.
"This is a matter that concerns us very much. I will also talk about this with my colleague Marco Rubio in Washington,” Wadephul added.
A large crowd of protesters gathered in Tehran’s Punak neighborhood on Sunday night, chanting slogans including “Long live the Shah (King),” videos sent to Iran International show.
Iran’s exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi urged US President Donald Trump to back efforts to “liberate” Iran, amid nationwide anti-government protests in the country.
“Mr. President, you have already established your legacy as a man committed to peace and fighting evil forces. There is a reason why people in Iran are renaming streets after your name,” Pahlavi said, addressing Trump in an interview with Fox News.
“Let's hope that we can permanently seal this legacy by liberating Iran so that we and you can make Iran great again. Let's partner on this and have a better future for our countries and for our people,” he added.
A widely shared image of a young Iranian woman using a burning portrait of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to light a cigarette has gone viral as a symbol of defiance in Iran’s latest protests.
The now-iconic gesture – which some users likened to the final scene of Malèna, starring Monica Bellucci – has been echoed in photos and videos shared on social media in recent days. Over the weekend, some Iranians abroad also staged symbolic recreations during demonstrations in several countries.
Burning images of Iran’s supreme leader – who routinely brands protesters “rioters” – has been a recurring feature of anti-government demonstrations since 2008 and remains a powerful symbol of resistance.
The woman posts on X under the handle Morticia Addams and, according to her posts, is 25 and lives in Canada. She has said she was arrested during the November 2019 protests in Iran. In one post, she wrote: “Every time I was on the street. This time I couldn’t be. Forgive me, Mother Iran.”
Iran has faced an internet blackout in recent days, but Iranian users abroad also reacted strongly. One user, posting as “Iran-Dokht,” wrote sarcastically: “I don’t smoke, but I really felt like lighting a cigarette, right now.”
International attention
The image drew wider international attention after J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, shared a poster showing the woman lighting a cigarette from a half-burned portrait of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Rowling wrote: “If you claim to support human rights yet can’t bring yourself to show solidarity with those fighting for their liberty in Iran, you’ve revealed yourself. You don’t give a damn about people being oppressed and brutalized so long as it’s being done by the enemies of your enemies.”
The Europe-based outlet Nexta TV commented: “This isn’t shock value. It’s a blunt political gesture – open contempt for a regime that has spent decades controlling women’s bodies, clothing, behavior, and lives.”
Other powerful images
The imagery has also evoked moments from the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, which erupted after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini following her detention by Iran’s morality police. During that period, videos of women burning headscarves spread rapidly online, including scenes some viewers said recalled Nika Shakarami, a young protester killed in Tehran.
Another widely shared image from that time showed a young woman in Karaj tying back her short hair before joining protesters. Many women also cut locks of hair and posted the footage online. The gesture became so widely recognized that female lawmakers in several countries repeated it on parliamentary floors in solidarity with Iranian women.
More recently, another clip circulating widely shows an elderly woman with white hair and a bloodied mouth chanting slogans. In footage posted on social media before the internet shutdown, she says, referring to the Islamic Republic’s 47-year rule: “I am not afraid. I have been dead for 47 years.”
Rowling wrote: “If you claim to support human rights yet can’t bring yourself to show solidarity with those fighting for their liberty in Iran, you’ve revealed yourself. You don’t give a damn about people being oppressed and brutalised so long as it’s being done by the enemies of your enemies.”
The European media outlet Nexta TV commented: “This isn’t shock value. It’s a blunt political gesture — open contempt for a regime that has spent decades controlling women’s bodies, clothing, behavior, and lives.“
Other powerful images
The imagery recalls earlier moments from the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests that erupted after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died after being detained by Iran’s morality police. During that period, videos of women burning their headscarves went viral, including scenes reminiscent of Nika Shakarami, a young protester killed in Tehran.
Another widely shared image from that time showed a young woman in Karaj tying back her short hair before joining protesters. Many women also cut locks of their hair and shared the footage online. The gesture became so iconic that female lawmakers in several countries repeated it in their parliaments in solidarity with Iranian women.
Among the more recent viral images is a video of an elderly woman with white hair and a bloodied mouth chanting slogans. In the footage that emerged on social media before the internet shutdown, she is heard saying, in reference to the 47-year rule of the Islamic Republic: “I am not afraid. I have been dead for 47 years.”