Latest update – 9:15 pm CET
The latest episodes of protests in Abdanan, western Iran, and other cities across the country are a reminder of how the Iranian people are determined to continue their nationwide anti-regime uprising. These rallies, with slogans specifically targeting and criticizing regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the mullahs’ Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and paramilitary Basij, and their security forces apparatus, come at a time when the mullahs seek to claim legitimacy in upcoming events to mark the 1979 revolution that they hijacked from the Iranian people.
Protests in Iran have to this day expanded to at least 282 cities. Over 750 people have been killed and more than 30,000 are arrested by the regime’s forces, according to sources of Iranian opposition People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The names of 637 killed protesters have been published by the PMOI/MEK.
In the city of Tabriz in East Azerbaijan Province, northwest Iran, members of MEK Resistance Units on Thursday evening projected a large image of Iranian Resistance Leader Massoud Rajavi and opposition coalition NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi near the city’s expressway.
Also on Thursday night locals in Tehran and the city of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan Province, southern Iran, began protesting and chanting anti-regime slogans, including:
“Death to the dictator!”
“Death to Khamenei! Damned be Khomeini!”
“Death to the child-killing regime!”
February 2 – Tabriz, northwest #Iran
Large image of Iranian Resistance Leader Massoud Rajavi and opposition coalition NCRI President-elect @Maryam_Rajavi projected near city's expressway.#IranRevolution#مرگ_بر_ستمگر_چه_شاه_باشه_چه_رهبر pic.twitter.com/e0rLsltByW— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 2, 2023
On Thursday morning farmers from eastern parts of Isfahan Province gathered in the city of Isfahan with their tractors holding a protest rally and demanding answers to their economic dilemmas. They began chanting anti-regime slogans during this gathering, including: “Death to Khamenei!”
The farmers of Isfahan and other provinces have long been protesting the deteriorating conditions of the province’s farming industry and water shortages. Farming is among the key economic activities of Isfahan, and with irrigation water becoming scarcer, the livelihoods of millions of people in the province are endangered.
The regime’s policies and destructive projects, including the building of dams without regard to the province’s ecosystem, have rendered severe ecological problems and damage to the province’s agriculture sector.
Also on Thursday workers of a local steel company in the city of Sirjan in Kerman Province, south-central Iran, held a protest rally seeking answers to their economic demands that have long gone neglected by regime officials.
February 2 – Isfahan, central #Iran
Farmers from across eastern parts of Isfahan Province held a protest gathering today demanding answers to their economic dilemmas.#IranProtests2023#اعتراضات_سراسریpic.twitter.com/rxCo51nHvm— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 2, 2023
In Zahedan, the capital of Sistan & Baluchestan Province in southeast Iran, regime authorities dispatched military helicopters to fly above the city with the goal of installing a climate of fear among the locals. Their aim is to prevent anti-regime protests that are anticipated tomorrow following Friday mass prayers.
February 2- Zahedan, southeast #Iran
Regime authorities are flying military helicopters over the city to install a climate of fear among the locals prior to tomorrow's anticipated anti-regime protests.#IranRevoIution #مرگ_بر_ستمگر_چه_شاه_باشه_چه_رهبرpic.twitter.com/FzVhLGH97Y— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 2, 2023
Early Wednesday morning reports indicate a major explosion outside rocked a judiciary building of the mullahs’ regime in Isfahan, central Iran. Today is the first of ten days that the mullahs’ propaganda apparatus launch every year to celebrate their rule. This explosion at the beginning of these events is a reminder of the ruling regime of the people’s hatred of their dictatorship.
February 1 – Isfahan, central #Iran
Explosion at a judiciary building early this morning #IranRevoIution #مرگ_بر_ستمگر_چه_شاه_باشه_چه_رهبر pic.twitter.com/zVIkPbb83M— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 1, 2023
In the city of Gachsaran in Kohgiluyeh & Boyer Ahmad Province, southwest Iran, members of MEK Resistance Units projected a large image of Iranian Resistance Leader Massoud Rajavi and opposition coalition NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi in the city’s Valiasr Blvd at 10:20 pm local time.
February 1 – Gachsaran, southwest #Iran
10:20 pm local time
Large image of Iranian Resistance Leader Massoud Rajavi and opposition coalition NCRI President-elect @Maryam_Rajavi projected in the city's Valiasr Blvd.#IranRevolution#مرگ_بر_ستمگر_چه_شاه_باشه_چه_رهبر pic.twitter.com/GCqOinfB1K— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 2, 2023
On Wednesday night, protesters in the city of Abdanan, western Iran, took to the streets rallying and demolishing a statue of the IRGC paramilitary Basij Force while chanting: “This is the year Seyed Ali (Khamenei) is overthrown!” and “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!” Footage from this city also shows protesters setting up roadblocks with fires and establishing control over their cities. Angry protesters also attacked a number of stores belonging to the regime’s agents and operatives.
Also on Wednesday night and into early Thursday morning, locals in different districts of Tehran, including Punak, Naziabad, and Rudaki began protesting and chanting anti-regime slogans, including: “Death to the dictator!” and “Death to the oppressor! Be it the Shah or [Khamenei]!”
Similar protests were reported in the Pardis district of Kermanshah in western Iran where locals were seen chanting anti-regime slogans and taking control of their streets with roadblocks. In these protests the locals were seen chanting:
“Death to the mullahs’ regime principle!”
“Death to Khamenei!”
Iranian opposition coalition NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi hailed the people of Abdanan and reiterated the Iranian people’s fortitude to topple the mullahs’ regime and establish freedom and democracy.
“The courageous youth of Abdanan took to the streets tonight with chants of ‘Death to Khamenei.’ They set alight statues and monuments symbolizing the regime and stressed their resolve to overthrow the regime. Young people’s protests and activities in Abdanan remind the Iranian people’s passion and courage during the anti-monarchic revolution and promises the victory of the Iranian people’s democratic revolution,” the NCRI President-elect emphasized.
The courageous youth of Abdanan took to the streets, tonight, with chants of “Death to Khamenei.” They set alight the statues and monuments symbolizing the regime and stressed on their resolve to overthrow the regime. #IranRevolution pic.twitter.com/i7ho3QwA03
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) February 2, 2023
In Tehran, family members of death row inmates rallied on Wednesday outside the regime’s judiciary building protesting the death sentences and demanding answers from regime officials. This is the sixth such rally held recently as family members of various inmates have traveled from across the country to hold these gatherings on January 29, January 25, January 22, January 16, and January 14 in the country’s capital where children have been seen holding placards reading: “Don’t execute my dad!”
Personnel of Parsian Bank in Tehran rallied outside the regime’s Central Bank on Wednesday to hold a protest gathering and seek answers to their demands that have long gone unanswered by regime officials. These protesters are demanding higher paychecks, better pensions, and other improvements in their work and living conditions.
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake rocked the city of Khoy in West Azerbaijan Province of northwest Iran on Saturday night, leaving many locals in the freezing cold winter without any aid from the local authorities. State media are reporting three dead while reports from other sources indicate at least seven people have died with 1,075 others injured. Further reports indicate 70 villages have witnessed 80 percent damages, and more than 3,000 homes have been severely impacted.
On Wednesday evening, locals were holding a protest gathering demanding tents for their families who are freezing following Saturday’s 5.9 magnitude earthquake that has left them stranded. Regime authorities are concerned about such rallies evolving into anti-regime protests and growing out of control.
February 1 – Khoy, northwest #Iran
Locals are holding a protest gathering demanding tents for their families who are freezing following Saturday's 5.9 magnitude earthquake that has left them stranded.#زلزله_خوی pic.twitter.com/LZJfnT6GIW— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 1, 2023
On Tuesday morning locals gathered once again outside the city governor’s office demanding aid, such as tents, blankets, heating appliances, and food. Nearly all of the shops across the city of Khoy have run out of food. Locals say many officials and state press have only taken pictures of the damages and left, without providing any meaningful aid.
Local activists in the city were reporting that regime authorities have deployed a large number of security units, most of whom are stationed in the Khoy Red Crescent. Anyone who protests the status quo is attacked and beaten with batons, the report adds.
Regime officials were quick to dispatch anti-security units to the area to prevent possible anti-regime protests by the locals who are in desperate need of assistance. On Sunday authorities even used water cannons of anti-riot trucks to disperse a crowd of earthquake victims.
On Monday people gathered outside the local governor’s office demanding answers and aid. There is a severe shortage of bread and food in stores across the city, and many still don’t have tents. There are several reports of regime security forces attacking those who gathered seeking aid for their families.
People in different cities, including Urmia in northwest Iran and Sarpol-e Zahab in western Iran, are taking matters into their own hands and collecting aid for the needy in Khoy as authorities are refusing and failing to provide any meaningful assistance.
Regime security forces are preventing the distribution of aid voluntarily collected by ordinary people from the cities of Urmia, Salmas, and Naqadeh to the quake-hit people of Khoy, according to local activists.
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.
