Popular protests in Iran continue for the second consecutive week amid a widespread security crackdown. The death toll has risen to 35, after initial reports indicated at least 29 fatalities, according to verified sources. The same sources reported that some of the deceased were minors under the age of 18, as security forces and the Revolutionary Guard used excessive force.

According to human rights reports, Iranian authorities have arrested over 1,200 people, while the protests have expanded to include at least 88 cities across different provinces. Reliable sources also reported that members of the security forces were among the dead.

In an attempt to contain public anger, authorities cut internet access in several cities to prevent the revolution from spreading to other provinces. This coincided with direct orders from Iran’s Supreme Leader to security forces and the Revolutionary Guard to suppress protesters, while the head of the judiciary threatened participants with harsh sentences.

Local sources revealed that Iranian security agencies sent messages to several families, urging them to join pro-regime demonstrations, but these attempts failed and received no popular response.

According to trusted Ahwazi sources, Iranian authorities summoned a number of Arab tribal sheikhs in the Ahwaz region, an occupied territory seeking an end to Iranian occupation, and issued direct threats if popular mobilization or demands for ethnic rights intensified.

In a related development, Iranian authorities contacted thousands of citizens in different cities, warning them against sharing news on social media or participating in ongoing protests, now in their second week, amid escalating repression and fears that protests could turn into a widespread revolution threatening the regime’s foundations and stability.