Update from the Iranist

January 9, 2025

Salam reader,

Events are moving quickly since anti-regime protests began in Iran on December 28 and swept across all thirty-one provinces. The country is now under a state-imposed internet shutdown following a successful call by former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi for Iranians to take to the streets on January 8 and January 9 at 8 pm.

On January 9, Shayan Sardarizadeh of BBC Verify wrote on X:

“I’ve been covering anti-government protests in Iran since 2009 and don’t remember nationwide protests as widespread and a turnout as big as last night in years. Based on verified videos, there were gatherings in nearly every corner of Tehran and almost every province.”

It’s clear the Islamic Republic is trying to prevent the world from seeing the true scale of the protests—and to use the darkness of an internet shutdown as cover to brutally suppress the protesters. This is exactly what occurred during the bloody November 2019 protests. The group Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA/HRANA) has shared with me that 50 protesters were killed and 2,311 arrested.

Despite the blackout, some footage continues to trickle out from the ongoing protests through various means.

Before the internet shutdown, IG influencers and ordinary Iranians alike were openly showing solidarity with the anti-regime protests on Instagram. Some posted otherwise typical videos or photos set to the song, “Preparation for War” by Majid Entezami of the Tehran Symphonic Orchestra. Others were less subtle—like this non-alcoholic bartender standing in Azadi (Freedom) Square, saying: “Party on you, drinks on us.” (X)

I’ll leave you with that image. ✊🏼

More soon,

Holly

P.S. Feel free to follow me on X for real-time updates and on LinkedIn, where I’ve been sharing recent interviews and commentary.