Tehran, January 9 — Reports from across Iran indicate an escalation in violence and repression as the nationwide uprising entered its thirteenth day, marked by deadly attacks on protesters, mass arrests, and a near-total shutdown of internet access ordered by the Iranian regime.
According to reports released today, repressive forces killed and wounded numerous protesters on the night of January 8, particularly in Tehran and surrounding areas. One of the most severe incidents occurred in Fardis, Karaj, in the Siah-Noush neighborhood, where security forces opened direct fire on demonstrators. At least ten youths were reported killed or wounded, with their bodies left at the scene. Authorities imposed a complete communications blackout in the area in an apparent effort to conceal the scale of the incident. The identities of those killed are to be announced after verification.
On the morning of January 9, amid fears of the uprising’s expansion, regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued a statement describing protesters as “vandals” and declaring that the regime would “not back down.” Shortly afterward, the Secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council announced that security and judicial forces would show “no leniency” toward protesters.
Ali Salehi, the governor of Tehran, reinforced this stance in remarks carried by state media, warning that anyone participating in protests was acting “in the enemy’s court” and would be dealt with “decisively and as quickly as possible.” He confirmed the deployment of military, State Security Force (SSF), and security units across the capital.
Despite the crackdown, protests continued. On January 9 in Zahedan, Baluch men and women took to the streets chanting “Death to Khamenei” and “From Zahedan to Tehran, my life for Iran.” Security forces responded with tear gas and pellet rounds, injuring several participants.
Leaked SSF radio communications, disclosed by the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), reveal growing strain within the security apparatus. During an attack by protesters on the state broadcasting center in Isfahan, SSF commanders were reportedly heard shouting, “We have no forces,” and calling for reinforcements. In Borujerd on January 7, an SSF commander ordered forces to retreat to rooftops and to shoot directly at protesters, instructing them not to hesitate.
The uprising has spread extensively. On the evening of January 8, protests erupted for a third consecutive night in Tehran and across the country, reaching at least 173 cities and involving clashes in more than 330 locations. In several areas, protesters set fire to or seized government and regime-linked centers. In Isfahan province, clashes were described as resembling a war. In Fouladshahr, protesters reportedly took control of the city, forcing security forces to flee. The state broadcasting building in Isfahan was set ablaze, while Basij bases were torched in Vilashahr and Pirbakran.
In Tehran, multiple neighborhoods—including Ekbatan, Narmak, Sattar Khan, Sadeghieh, and Tehranpars—witnessed hit-and-run clashes. Protesters set fire to IRGC vans, special unit vehicles, and motorcycles. Similar actions were reported in Andimeshk, Shiraz, Gorgan, Bijar, Islamabad-e-Gharb, Dorud, Malayer, Yazd, Qorveh, and Lumar, where banks, police stations, intelligence centers, and government buildings were attacked or burned.
Chants such as “Death to the oppressor, be it the Shah or the Leader” were heard in Tehran, Tabriz, Sanandaj, and Kermanshah. In Urmia, demonstrators chanted, “Azerbaijan is honorable, Pahlavi is dishonorable.” Alongside street protests, merchants in Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Azerbaijan, Tehran, Isfahan, Razavi Khorasan, Ilam, Lorestan, and other provinces went on strike despite threats from authorities.
As repression intensified, the regime imposed nationwide internet shutdown beginning Thursday, January 8. Internet observatory NetBlocks confirmed that connectivity across Iran dropped to around 5 percent, describing the situation as a “digital blackout.” Data from Cloudflare Radar showed a 98.5 percent collapse in IPv6 traffic just before 13:00 local time, indicating an abrupt and coordinated shutdown rather than a technical failure.
⚠️ Confirmed: Telemetry indicate a major disruption to networks in Belgorod, western #Russia, after Ukraine targets the region's energy installations with missiles; initial analysis suggests one of the most effective infrastructure strikes by Ukraine since the start of the war pic.twitter.com/kGMcnqs1UI
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) January 8, 2026
The Iranian Resistance described the blackout as a violation of fundamental rights and international standards, citing Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UN Human Rights Council resolutions condemning such actions. It called on the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, and the International Telecommunication Union to condemn the “cyber siege” and take immediate steps to restore free internet access.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that thousands have been detained in recent days. Detention centers run by the IRGC, SSF, Ministry of Intelligence, and various safe houses are reportedly overcrowded. As of two days ago, legal cases had been filed for 650 detainees in Tehran, with many others held in legal limbo under harsh conditions.
January 9, 2026
