Video shows Tehran protesters rallying Saturday

Iran’s police chief Ahmadreza Radan said security forces have stepped up their confrontation with what he called “rioters,” state media reported on Sunday.

Radan, commander of Iran’s Law Enforcement Command, said police had a duty to provide security for what he called legitimate demands while acting decisively against violence, the report said.

He described the unrest as a multi-layered operation and said authorities would pursue alleged organizers, online backers and people acting on the streets.

Iran’s nationwide internet blackout has passed the 60-hour mark, with overall connectivity hovering at around 1% of normal levels, internet monitoring group NetBlocks said on Sunday.

“The censorship measure presents a direct threat to the safety and wellbeing of Iranians at a key moment for the country’s future,” NetBlocks said on X, as access to online communications remains largely cut across the country.

Israel has gone on high alert over the possibility the United States could intervene in Iran as authorities confront the biggest anti-government protests in years, Reuters cited three Israeli sources with knowledge of the matter as saying on Sunday.

US President Donald Trump has issued repeated warnings in recent days against the use of force on demonstrators and on Saturday said the United States was “ready to help.”

The Israeli sources, who were present for security consultations over the weekend, did not spell out what the high-alert posture involves.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the possibility of US intervention in Iran in a call on Saturday, according to an Israeli source, while a US official confirmed the call but gave no details.

Harry Potter author J K Rowling voiced support for protesters in Iran in a post on X on Sunday.

Rowling criticized people she described as backing human rights but declining to show solidarity with Iranians “fighting for their liberty.”

Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the US House of Representatives, voiced support on Saturday for protesters in Iran, calling their actions a fight for “freedom, dignity and self-determination.”

“Millions of people across Iran are displaying tremendous bravery in the face of decades of oppression and dictatorial rule,” Jeffries said in a statement.

“The world is watching in awe as they lead an honorable fight for freedom, dignity and self-determination. I stand with the courageous protestors who are under attack by the Islamic Republic.”