Iran Protests Spark Global Condemnation and Repression

Iran's national police chief has given a 3-day ultimatum to young people who 'unwittingly' participated in recent protests, promising 'leniency' if they surrender. The protests, sparked by economic hardship, posed a significant challenge to Iran's hardline Islamic rulers. Authorities have cracked down on the protests, resulting in thousands of arrests and between 12,000 to 20,000 deaths. Iranian officials blame the US and Israel for fomenting the unrest, while rights groups report a higher number of arrests than officially acknowledged. The regime has begun punishing those deemed to have supported the protests, including seizing assets. Meanwhile, Iranian state TV was hacked, airing a message from exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi calling on security forces to defect.

Iran's internet blackout, which began on January 8 amid escalating demonstrations, has hardened into a permanent system of digital repression. The regime is treating citizens' access to the outside world as an 'existential threat.' Digital rights monitors report that the country's connectivity landscape has shifted dramatically, with limited and unstable internet connectivity in some parts of the country. The blackout has coincided with cyber incidents targeting Iran's state infrastructure, and at least 2,571 people have been killed amid the protests. The regime is selectively whitelisting only a handful of services it deems critical for business needs, and even this selective access is sporadic.

Iranian state TV was hacked on Sunday to air footage of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and images of anti-government protests that have rocked Tehran in recent weeks. The hacking occurred amid a near-total internet shutdown in Iran. Pahlavi called on Iran's military to break with the Islamic Republic and side with the people, saying 'You are the national army of Iran, not the Islamic Republic army.' The protests have resulted in significant violence, with reports indicating 3,919 individuals killed, including 25 children, and at least 24,669 people arrested. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) tracked the protests, which continued into their 22nd day. Witnesses described security forces storming hospitals, removing injured protesters, and interfering with medical care. The international community has taken note, with President Donald Trump weighing possible U.S. military action.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has withdrawn an invitation to Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to attend the Davos summit in Switzerland amid nationwide anti-government protests in Iran that have left thousands dead. The decision was made after an advocacy group, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), urged the WEF to bar Iranian regime officials from attending. The protests have drawn a violent response from security forces, with reports suggesting that at least 3,919 people have been killed and 24,669 arrested. The international community is calling for action against the Iranian regime, with US Senator Lindsey Graham stating that 'this regime must fall.'