Blasts and low-flying warplanes reported in Isfahan

Accounts from multiple cities describe a pattern of increased checkpoints, armed deployments and organized nightly gatherings, with many residents saying the measures appear aimed at controlling the population rather than addressing external threats.

Witnesses said checkpoints have been set up across urban areas, often staffed by masked security personnel and Basij volunteers, some described as very young.

Vehicles carrying heavy weapons, including machine guns, have been stationed at major intersections, with officers pointing weapons toward passing cars.

“Many of them are very young, some as young as teenagers,” one resident said, adding that “the feeling for me and many others is fear.”

Residents said the checkpoints have disrupted daily life, causing heavy traffic and repeated stops. Some described being questioned without clear cause, while others said their phones were searched.

“It feels like they are looking for any small excuse to harass people or even arrest them,” a resident said.

Reports of such measures have come not only from major cities but also smaller towns, where residents described patrol vehicles moving through streets with mounted weapons.

In one account, security forces were said to require drivers to turn off their headlights when entering checkpoints.

Nightly pro-government rallies

Alongside the security presence, residents reported nightly pro-government gatherings in many cities, often involving convoys of vehicles, loudspeakers and armed escorts.

In several locations, groups of supporters were seen moving through streets broadcasting slogans such as “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” while others chanted religious slogans at high volume.

Residents said the gatherings often continued late into the night or early morning hours.

“These gatherings create more anger than fear,” one resident said, adding that even small groups were accompanied by armed personnel.

Others described loudspeakers mounted on vehicles or in neighborhoods broadcasting chants and songs through the night. “They disrupt the entire neighborhood,” a resident said, describing noise that continued into the early hours.

Some residents said the gatherings included participants wearing symbolic clothing and issuing verbal threats, while others reported that passing cars were stopped and checked if occupants were seen using mobile phones.

Across multiple accounts, residents described the measures as coordinated and sustained over recent weeks, coinciding with intensified military activity in the region.

“There is a clear pattern in how these actions are carried out at night,” one source said, adding that the focus appeared to be on “creating fear and preventing any form of protest.”

While state media has highlighted military activity and messaging around national defense, residents said their primary concerns remain daily living conditions and personal safety.

“We are struggling to get by,” one resident said. “People are worried about their lives, not these displays.”

Several locations across Iran were targeted early on Wednesday, with explosions and missile sounds reported in multiple cities, according to eyewitness accounts sent to Iran International.

In southwestern Iran, an explosion was heard around 5:00 a.m. near Andimeshk. In southeastern Iran, the sound of fighter jets and missile fire was reported at about 5:30 a.m. in Chabahar.

Witnesses also reported that several locations in Nowshahr, on Iran’s Caspian coast, were targeted. In Tehran, a building in the eastern part of the capital was reportedly hit at 2:12 a.m.

In southern Iran, a witness said three missiles were launched at about 1:00 a.m. from a missile site in Larestan, in Fars province, toward the west or southwest.

A new wave of attacks struck several cities across Iran from midday on Tuesday, with explosions and plumes of smoke reported in multiple locations, according to eyewitness accounts received by Iran International.

In central Iran, several areas in Isfahan province were hit, including Shahin Shahr and Najafabad. Witnesses said the Jowzdan industrial zone in Najafabad was targeted.

Plumes of smoke were also reported near Iran Electronics Industries in Isfahan city, while residents reported explosions in areas around Chamran Bridge and Kaveh.

In southern Iran, blasts were heard in Bandar Kangan, with witnesses saying the explosions appeared to come from the direction of Bandar-e Dayyer along the Persian Gulf coast. In the southwest, residents reported repeated and heavy explosions in Khorramshahr.

In the capital Tehran, witnesses said multiple loud explosions were heard in the Resalat Square area.

Security deployments, Basij patrols and checkpoints were reported in several parts of Iran from late Sunday into early Monday, according to eyewitness accounts sent to Iran International.

In Tehran, security forces were reported stationed in Park-e Shahed, with a possible checkpoint expected in the Sardar Jangal area. Witnesses also said white Samand cars with green license plates were moving through the city after removing their plates and marking the vehicles as “Basij Patrol,” creating a heavy security atmosphere.

In Arak, in Iran’s central Markazi province, nighttime checkpoints were reported at the entrances to the industrial town.

In Rudsar, a city in Gilan province on the Caspian coast, checkpoints were said to be in place at all entrances to the city. In Sari, the capital of Mazandaran province in northern Iran, witnesses reported that IRGC forces and equipment were moved from Imam Square to the Red Crescent building on Imam Reza Boulevard.

Explosions hit multiple cities in southern Iran on Sunday evening, eyewitnesses told Iran International.

In Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province, witnesses said strong shaking accompanied several explosions.

In nearby Bandar Khamir, witnesses reported an explosion, thick smoke and the closure of the city’s entrances and exits.

In Bushehr, witnesses said they heard four powerful explosions on Sunday night.