Iran’s Cities And Towns Erupt In Major New Surge Of Anti-Regime Protests – OpEd
Thursday marked the 42nd day of Iran’s nationwide protests. On Thursday morning the people of Mahabad in northwest Iran took to the streets on the 42nd day of the nationwide uprising. Locals initially took part in the burial ceremony of Ismail Moloudi who was killed by the regime’s security forces during last night’s protests in this city. Reports from local activists indicate units of the regime’s security forces opened fire on people in the Gomrok neighborhood, where Moloudi lived.
This sparked major protests by the people of Mahabad and locals began marching into the city. Reports indicate angry protesters have taken control of the local governor’s office and at least one police station. Protesters have been seen chanting anti-regime slogans, including “Death to Khamenei!”
Protests in Iran have to this day expanded to at least 199 cities. Over 400 people have been killed and more than 20,000 are arrested by the regime’s forces, according to sources of the Iranian opposition People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The names of 260 killed protesters have been published by the PMOI/MEK.
On Thursday, another major protest rally was held in Khorramabad, the hometown of Nika Shakarami, a 16-year-old girl murdered by the regime’s security forces during the nationwide uprisings. Thursday marked the 40th day of her passing. The crowd gathered in Khorramabad shouted anti-regime slogans, including “We are all Nika and we will fight to the end!” and “This is the year [Khamenei] will be overthrown!”
With nightfall protesters in several Kurdish cities, including Sanandaj, Baneh, Bukan, Marivan, Mahabad, and others took to the streets. Local began establishing roadblocks and taking control of their cities and towns to prevent the regime’s security forces from deploying to their districts and neighborhoods. Following today’s major protests in Mahabad, authorities have been dispatching reinforcements from the city of Urmia to quell the locals after they set ablaze many of the regime’s sites, including the local governor’s office and other administrative buildings.
Similar night rallies have been reported in Tehranpars of Tehran, Ahvaz, and Zahedan. Authorities are also deploying numbers security units in Zahedan in preparation for calls of a major rally on Friday in this capital of Sistan & Baluchestan Province.
Students also resumed their protest rallies in several cities across Iran on Thursday, including Tehran, Karaj, Mashhad, Isfahan, and Malayer. The students chanted anti-regime slogans including “Death to the dictator!” and “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!” The students also marked their resolve to continue their protests despite the regime’s brutal crackdown on the uprising by chanting, “For every person killed, another thousand will replace them!”
The nationwide uprising across Iran witnessed a new surge of anti-regime protests on Wednesday, October 26th, as dozens of cities and towns across the country erupted in explosive protests by the Iranian nation seeking to topple the mullahs’ regime in its entirety. At least 58 cities, 61 universities, 45 areas of Tehran, 39 bazaars and stock markets, and strikes in two oil refineries saw people taking to the streets and chanting slogans against the mullahs’ regime, including:
“Death to the dictator!” and “Death to Khamenei!” referring to regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and “Death to the oppressor! Be it the Shah or [Khamenei]!”
Wednesday began with people in Saqqez and other cities of Kurdistan Province rallying to the graveyard where Mahsa Amini has been laid to rest. Tens of thousands of people rallied to pay their respects, sending a strong message to the ruling mullahs that the death of Mahsa and all others innocently killed by the regime and its security forces will not be forgotten.
Throughout the day people across the country marked the 40th day of Mahsa’s murder in major protest rallies, chanting anti-regime slogans, establishing roadblocks by setting up fires in the streets, standing up to the regime’s security forces, and burning and tearing down many of the regime’s symbols.
People in many cities were in the streets after nightfall where they started fires and established their control over their streets and neighborhoods. Protesters in Tehran and other cities and towns were seen standing their ground against the regime’s security units, and in many areas forcing them to flee.
The city of Qasr-e Shirin in western Iran near the Iraqi border was especially restive as protesters set ablaze numerous government buildings and two banks. Trailers, vehicles, and motorcycles belonging to security forces were also targeted and confiscated during Wednesday’s rallies, as protesters set them ablaze in their continued effort to push back the regime’s security forces.
Iranian opposition NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi hailed the Iranian people across the country for continuing their relentless anti-regime movement. “Today, across Tehran, from students to Bazaar merchants and doctors, people have shaken the pillars of Khamenei’s rule with chants of “Death to the dictator!” The era of the criminal mullahs has come to an end. They cannot evade their inevitable overthrow,” the NCRI President-elect underscored.
As protests and demonstrations were escalating, a suspicious attack targeted religious pilgrims in the city of Shiraz on Wednesday night with ISIS claiming responsibility. While the details of this incident have to be unfolded completely and dozens are reported killed and injured, the mullahs’ regime has a long history of launching false flag operations in such dire times of need to distract attention away from threats targeting its apparatus to the very core.
Madam Rajavi voiced her condolences to the people of Shiraz and Iran in general. “I call on the people of Shiraz and all the people of Iran to step up their protests against the mullahs’ inhuman regime,” she emphasized.
Reports on Wednesday morning also indicate merchants in many Kurdish cities of western Iran continuing their strike, including Sanandaj, Saqqez, Divandarreh, Marivan, Kamyaran, Dehgolan, and others. Similar strikes were also reported in the cities of Isfahan and Kerman.
The employees and workers of Tehran Oil Refinery also joined the general strike on Wednesday in solidarity with the nationwide anti-regime protests and uprising.
Hossein Salami, head of the regime’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), has issued a new warning to IRGC commanders in the Greater Tehran area, the IRGC command of Tehran and Alborz provinces, highlighting the increasing trend of measures carried out by the PMOI/MEK’s network of Resistance Units. The IRGC chief emphasized the Resistance Units targeting sensitive sites, especially IRGC centers, adding special measures and targeted patrols will be needed to identify and protect such sites.
Protests were especially intense in Tehran on Wednesday. Rallies took shape in different parts of the city, including Gharani Street, Amirabad Street, Jomhouri Street, and Laleh-Zar Street. Protesters called for the ouster of the mullahs and the overthrow of Khamenei’s regime. In Tehran’s Iran Computer Center, protesters were chanting “Death to the dictator!”
Protests continued in several cities throughout the day. In Tehran, protests were reported in 45 districts. In several locations, protesters set up roadblocks and faced off with security forces. Anti-regime slogans such as “Death to Khamenei!” and “Death to the oppressor, whether it be the shah or the mullahs!” could be heard across the city.
In Saqqez, protesters set fire to a trailer of the security forces and clashed with the regime’s oppressive forces. In Kermanshah, protesters rallied at night and chanted “Death to Khamenei!” In Najafabad, Isfahan province, students tore pictures of regime founder Ruhollah Khomeini in their protests. In Mashhad too, students tore large posters of Khomeini and Khamenei. In Tabriz, protesters were chanting “Death to Khamenei!”
The protests in Iran began following the death of Mahsa Amini. Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, a 22-year-old woman from the city of Saqqez in Kurdistan Province, western Iran, who traveled to Tehran with her family, was arrested on Tuesday, September 13, at the entry of Haqqani Highway by the regime’s so-called “Guidance Patrol” and transferred to the “Moral Security” agency.
She was brutally beaten by the morality police and died of her wounds in a Tehran hospital on September 16. The event triggered protests that quickly spread across Iran and rekindled the people’s desire to overthrow the regime.
Mahmoud Hakamian writes for The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), also known as Mujahedin-e-Khalgh (MEK). This article was published by PMOI/MEK
