Witnesses report explosions and troop deployments in Iran cities

Explosions and air raid activity shook several Iranian cities early Monday, eyewitnesses told Iran International.

In the southwestern city of Masjed Soleyman, strikes hit areas near an army aviation base and close to the local petrochemical complex before dawn.

In Shiraz, the Electronics Industries complex was targeted, with a witness saying the facility had been attacked several times previously.

Across Isfahan province, attacks struck multiple areas including Sepahan Shahr, Dowlatabad, Malek Shahr, Kaveh, Shahin Shahr, Zarrin Shahr, Mahmoudabad and Najafabad.

Explosions were also heard near major industrial and defense sites, including Mobarakeh Steel Company and the Isfahan defense industries. Around 16 blasts were reported near the Lenjan defense industries area and the Haft Tir industrial complex. The IRGC-affiliated Amir al-Momenin University in Sepahan Shahr was also struck.

Air defense activity and explosions were reported near Bakeri military base outside Dezful in southwestern Iran, while two blasts were heard west of Tabriz in the northwest.

In southern Iran, witnesses reported fighter jets over Bandar Abbas followed by bombing near the city’s air base. Several powerful explosions were also reported in the port city of Jask.

Overnight, multiple explosions were reported in the Fardis area of Karaj in central Iran. In Tehran’s District 15, IRGC and Basij forces were seen stationed at Mofatteh 2 school.

Blasts were also heard in the city of Ghods near Tehran, and four powerful explosions were reported in Takestan.

Iranian security forces have deployed to mosques and other public facilities in several cities, according to eyewitness accounts received by Iran International on Monday.

Witnesses said members of the Revolutionary Guards and Basij were positioned inside mosques in Tehran’s District 10, which were being used as operational hubs.

In Karaj, special police units and officers from the Phase 4 Mehrshahr station were seen at the Mehrshahr morgue facility, the witnesses said.

In Kazerun in southwestern Iran, residents reported that the Chamran and Imam Sajjad brigade barracks were evacuated and forces were redeployed to the Sarab Ardeshir recreational area.

Messages sent by residents to Iran International described explosions, reported strikes and military deployments across several cities in Iran on Sunday.

In Shahin Shahr near Isfahan, residents reported multiple explosions in the morning, including near a Revolutionary Guards center, the governor’s office and other locations.

Another message said a police station at the Attar–Modarres intersection and a Guards base were targeted around 9:15 a.m.

Residents also reported attacks on security and military facilities in other parts of Isfahan province. Messages described strikes on a police command building near City Center in Isfahan and on a police command office on Tohid Street.

Other reported targets included the Guards’ Saheb al-Zaman headquarters on Sofeh Boulevard opposite Al-Zahra hospital, a Basij intelligence district, a command headquarters and the Imam Ali barracks in Najafabad.

In nearby Fuladshahr, residents said Guards forces that had entered the Hijab stadium on Saturday were targeted.

Elsewhere, residents reported heavy bombing of army air and naval bases and other military facilities in Bushehr.

In Qom, one message said the Safaieh area was struck around 8 a.m.

Residents in Bandar Abbas reported hearing explosions since the morning and said military facilities at the western edge of the city had been hit by missiles.

Separate messages described security deployments in other cities. In Qazvin, police forces were reported stationed at the 22 Bahman stadium near a health center and a girls’ technical school.

In Tehran’s Sa’adat Abad district, residents said Imam Sadeq university and a nearby high school had been turned into military positions with checkpoints set up around them.

In Tabriz, residents reported government forces stationed at Imam Ali primary school in the Roshdiyeh area.

After Khamenei was killed in Tehran on February 28, confusion and divisions have emerged within the command structure of Iran’s military forces, the conscripts said.

In a military base in Lorestan province, several soldiers reported uncertainty over the chain of command and growing security concerns after the recent developments.

In a message, one soldier said many commanders left their posts to avoid potential US and Israeli strikes, leaving ordinary conscripts behind in the barracks without support.

According to the soldier, fear of bombardment has led some troops to spend nights outside the base, resting in nearby open areas despite the cold weather.

The soldier also criticized what he described as a lack of attention to the situation of ordinary troops and called for authorities to address their conditions.

German authorities said nearly 250,000 people attended the Munich rally, calling it the largest protest by Iranians in Europe to date. Organizers and local officials also reported large turnouts in Toronto and Los Angeles, each estimated at around 350,000, as well as 50,000 in London and 45,000 in Vancouver.

Speaking at the Munich event, Prince Reza Pahlavi addressed people inside Iran directly. “Know and see that you are not alone and that your voice has reached the world,” he said.

Messages sent to Iran International and widely shared on social media described what contributors called an unprecedented display of cohesion and discipline across continents.

Messages from inside Iran

One viewer wrote: “Salute to our honorable compatriots outside Iran. Seeing the beautiful images of unity, harmony, civility and order brought tears of joy to our eyes inside the country.”

Another message read: “We were tired and disappointed, but when we saw you in the gatherings abroad, we cried for all of us. Who can separate us from each other?”

A resident of Tehran wrote, “We bow our heads in respect to all our compatriots around the world. We saw your gatherings everywhere and wept.”

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From Shiraz, a viewer addressed the authorities, writing: “Every bullet you fired at our young people united our hearts more. We are now united, aware and full of faith.”

Others described the rallies as a turning point after weeks of pressure at home. “Yesterday, after 37 days, for the first time we were not sad or hopeless. Everyone was talking about you, and there was excitement in their eyes,” one message said.

Several framed the demonstrations as evidence of a shared national purpose transcending borders. “It was proven that the power of love for Iran and Iranians does not fit within political and geographical boundaries,” one viewer wrote.

“With seeing you, every moment was tears and emotion. We hope to celebrate our freedom soon on our own soil,” another message said.

Support extended beyond messages sent directly to Iran International. Similar posts circulated widely across social media platforms, echoing themes of unity, perseverance and anticipation of political change.

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The scale of the February 14 rallies prompted criticism from state media, officials and pro-government online activists, who questioned attendance figures and accused organizers of exaggeration.

Responses ranged from attempts to downplay the gatherings to verbal attacks on participants abroad. Supporters inside Iran, however, portrayed the demonstrations as a morale boost amid continuing domestic restrictions.

“Your presence is a bridge of hope and solidarity that lights many hearts inside the country,” another Tehran resident wrote.