Former President of the United States, Donald Trump, has taken to his platform Truth Social to share an unverified video claiming that the city of Mashhad, the second-largest in Iran, has been taken over by protesters.
The video, originally circulated by the Azerbaijani channel Kanal13, alleges that over a million individuals have forced regime forces to retreat, a claim not independently verified by any credible sources.
Mashhad, a city with a population of approximately four million and home to a significant Shiite shrine, has been a central hub of the ongoing protests that have swept through Iran since late December.
The unrest initially sparked due to Iran's economic crisis, the depreciation of the Iranian rial, and soaring living costs, swiftly evolved into a political movement opposing the clerical regime.
The footage shared by Trump depicts supposed demonstrators chanting against the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and calling for the return of the exiled Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last shah.
Notwithstanding, major news agencies including Reuters, Associated Press, and Le Monde report that there is no verifiable evidence to support claims that security forces have vacated Mashhad or that protesters have seized control of the city.
Internet restrictions imposed by Tehran, such as partial blackouts and mobile network blocks, complicate the verification of these events. According to Iran International, state forces remain active in Mashhad and other cities, where sporadic clashes continue between youth and units of the Revolutionary Guard and the Basij militia.
Trump, who has publicly expressed his support for Iranian protesters, warned last week that the United States would "intervene" if the regime used lethal force against peaceful demonstrations.
However, in subsequent statements, he nuanced his remarks by attributing some deaths to "crowd control issues," creating ambiguity regarding Washington's official stance.
The human rights organization HRANA reports that at least 42 individuals have died since the protests began, and over 2,000 have been arrested. Meanwhile, Iranian media loyal to the regime report hundreds of injuries among police and militiamen.
Although the authenticity of the video shared by Trump remains unverified, the protests in Mashhad and other cities underscore that social discontent in Iran has escalated into a direct political challenge to Khamenei's regime amidst an economic crisis and an intensifying wave of repression.
Key Questions about the Iranian Protests
What sparked the protests in Mashhad and other Iranian cities?
The protests began due to an economic crisis, including the collapse of the Iranian rial and rising living costs, which quickly turned into a political movement against the clerical regime.
Is there any verified evidence of protesters taking control in Mashhad?
No verifiable evidence has emerged to confirm that protesters have taken control of Mashhad or that security forces have withdrawn from the city.
How have internet restrictions affected the coverage of the protests?
Tehran's internet restrictions, including partial blackouts and mobile network blocks, have made it difficult to verify or cover the events unfolding in Mashhad and other areas.
What has been the international response to the Iranian protests?
Internationally, there have been warnings of intervention if lethal force is used against peaceful protests, though statements have varied, creating some uncertainty about official positions.