Iran protests LIVE updates: Internet cut off amid fresh escalation in Tehran; security forces accused of firing on protesters

Iran’s army chief Amir Hatami (C) posing for a photograph with military officials and military academy students in Tehran. Iran’s military chief warned on January 7, 2026, that Iran will not stand by and allow itself to be threatened by outside powers, after the U.S. and Israel backed anti-government protests.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

A nationwide internet blackout was reported in Iran on Thursday night (January 8, 2026) amid a fresh wave of escalation in Tehran following a call for mass demonstration by the country’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi. This comes after twelve days of protests in the country over its ailing economy. 

Rights groups accused Iranian security forces of shooting at protesters as the death toll mounted from a crackdown by authorities. So far, at least 39 people have been killed, while more than 2,260 others have been detained, as per the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.

Also Read | At a crossroads: On Iran’s unrest, its re-engagement with the world

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday (January 8) threatened to take severe action if Iranian authorities “start killing people” who are protesting, warning that Washington would “hit them very hard”. The country under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is battling an economic crisis after years of sanctions and recovering from the June war against Israel.

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