Latest update – 10:30 pm CET
Iran’s nationwide uprising is marking its 137th day on Monday as people in cities across the country protest the officials’ corrupt policies and incompetence in providing the nation’s basic necessities. Following Saturday night’s earthquake in Khoy of West Azerbaijan Province in northwest Iran locals have been left to endure the freezing cold weather without any meaningful aid from the authorities. Regime officials, however, immediately dispatched security units to the area.
Similar reports of discord have been arriving from Tehran and other cities as general dissent continues to simmer against the mullahs’ regime.
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.
Early Monday morning local time, members of MEK Resistance Units in the city of Kopon in Fars Province, south-central Iran, attacked a statue of former IRGC Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani and set it ablaze. This is further indication of the people’s utter hatred of Soleimani and the entirety of the mullahs’ regime.
January 30 – Kopon, Fars Province, south-central #Iran
Members of a Resistance Unit associated with the Iranian opposition MEK attacked & set ablaze a statue of former IRGC Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani early this morning.#IranRevolution#مرگ_بر_ستمگر_چه_شاه_باشه_چه_رهبر pic.twitter.com/XrsVeYXMFs— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 30, 2023
On Sunday evening, 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 capital’s Imam Ali Highway.
Locals in Tehran, including the Narmak district and Negin Gharb Residential Complex, were also chanting anti-regime slogans specifically targeting Khamenei and the mullahs’ entire apparatus. The slogans included:
“Death to the republic of executions!”
“Death to the child-killing regime!”
January 29 – Tehran, #Iran
10:15 pm local time
Large image of Iranian Resistance Leader Massoud Rajavi and opposition coalition NCRI President-elect @Maryam_Rajavi projected in the capital's Imam Ali Highway.#IranRevolution#مرگ_بر_ستمگر_چه_شاه_باشه_چه_رهبر pic.twitter.com/17oLB6j8lL— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 30, 2023
On Monday evening, people in the city of Sanandaj have taken to the streets protesting the arrest of two local religious figures by the regime’s security forces. Protesters are establishing roadblocks to take control of their streets and demanding their release while chanting anti-regime slogans, including:
“Death to the oppressor! Be it the Shah or [Khamenei]!”
“Death to Khamenei!”
“Death to the dictator!”
“Death to [regime agents]!”
January 30 – Sanandaj, western #Iran
Protesters are in the streets protesting the arrest of two local religious figures by the regime's security forces.#IranRevolution #مرگ_بر_ستمگر_چه_شاه_باشه_چه_رهبر pic.twitter.com/r4eHVtEVcp— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 30, 2023
Also on Monday evening people in the capital Tehran and many other cities across the country took to the streets on the 137th night of the Iranian revolution. People in the cities of Tehran, Mashhad, Qods City located west of Tehran, Isfahan, and Yazd were seen taking control of their areas and chanting anti-regime slogans. Different districts of Tehran, including Ekbatan, Narmak, Amaniyeh, Sattarkhan, Kuhsar, and Punak also reported such protests.
“Death to Khamenei!”
“Death to the dictator!”
“Poverty-Corruption-High prices! We’re going to overthrow the regime!”
“Death to the IRGC!”
“Death to the Basij!”
“This is the year Seyed Ali (Khamenei) is overthrown!”
“Death to Khamenei, the murderer!”
January 30 – Kerman, south-central #Iran
Locals continuing the nationwide protests against the regime on the 137th night of the uprising.#IranRevolution#مرگ_بر_ستمگر_چه_شاه_باشه_چه_رهبرpic.twitter.com/StFOFFSfJz— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 30, 2023
On Monday morning, retirees and pensioners of the regime’s telecommunications industry cities checkered across the country took to the streets for a second consecutive Monday protesting their low pensions and poor economic conditions. These rallies were held in the cities of Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Yazd, Rasht, Sanandaj, Kermanshah, Ahvaz, Ilam, Khorramabad, Shahrekord, and Urmia.
In the past few years, retirees across Iran have been protesting to their deteriorating living conditions, especially as the government refuses to adjust their pensions based on the inflation rate and fluctuations to the price of the rial, Iran’s national currency.
January 30 – Tehran, #Iran
Retirees and pensioners of the regime's communications industry are protesting low pensions and poor economic conditions.#IranProtests2023#اعتراضات_سراسریpic.twitter.com/Pd7Ksk9E6J— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 30, 2023
On Monday morning, people who at least five years ago placed down payments with the Meftah Rahnavard Company to purchase vehicles held a protesting rally in Tehran as they have yet to receive any vehicles. This is the second day that these people, who have travelled from across the country for these rallies, hold their protest gatherings demanding their rights.
In other reports, nurses in Shiraz, a major city in south-central Iran, held a gathering protesting their delayed paychecks. And in Qeshm, located in southern Iran, municipality workers held a gathering protesting their low paychecks and poor living conditions.
January 30 – Tehran, #Iran
People who at least five years ago placed down payments with the Meftah Rahnavard Company to purchase vehicles are protesting for the second day as they have yet to receive any vehicles.#IranProtests2023 pic.twitter.com/StAYJYcsSk— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 30, 2023
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.
Regime officials were quick to dispatch anti-security units to the area to prevent possible anti-regime protests by the local 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 have 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.
Khoy, northwest #Iran
Regime security forces used anti-riot vehicles and water cannons to disperse a gathering of earthquake victims.pic.twitter.com/0ko4N9Jc07— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 29, 2023
There are also long lines of people seeking gasoline while the regime, with the world’s fourth largest crude oil reserves, fails to provide the Iranian people’s basic necessities.
Iranian opposition coalition NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi called on Iranians who can to provide help for their compatriots in Khoy.
“I urge my fellow compatriots in Khoy’s neighboring cities and districts to rush to the aid of Khoy residents hit by an earthquake and assist the bereaved families especially that it is freezing cold at night and under snow,” she said.
I urge my fellow compatriots in Khoy’s neighboring cities and districts to rush to the aid of Khoy residents hit by an earthquake and assist the bereaved families especially that it is freezing cold at night and under snow.#Iran
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) January 28, 2023
In Tehran, family members of death row inmates rallied on Sunday outside the regime’s judiciary building protesting the death sentences and demanding answers from regime officials. This is the fifth such rally held recently as family members of various inmates have traveled from across the country to hold these gatherings on 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!”
Iranian opposition coalition NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi once again reiterated her call on the international community to designate the regime’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. This is a necessity in adopting a firm policy vis-à-vis Tehran, she said, adding:
“On behalf of the Iranian Resistance and through you, I call on the countries of the region to take these steps:
On behalf of the Iranian Resistance and through you, I call on the countries of the region to take these steps:#BlacklistIRGC pic.twitter.com/1nyQlsb9UW
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) January 29, 2023
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.
