Iran Protests Escalate Amid Calls for Strikes and Global Solidarity

Widespread protests against Iran's regime continue to intensify, with demonstrations erupting in Tehran and other cities despite severe governmental threats. Reports from activists confirm large crowds in Tehran, Rasht, Tabriz, and Shiraz, although video veracity remains unverified. Authorities have escalated their rhetoric, branding protesters as 'enemies of God'—a label that carries a death penalty threat. Political scientist Ali Fathollah-Nejad suggests the death toll may vastly exceed official counts, potentially reaching hundreds or thousands.

Internationally, solidarity rallies have been held, including one with approximately a hundred Iranian exiles in Berlin's Brandenburg Gate and others in European cities like Stockholm and the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). These demonstrations express support for the Iranian people's demands for human rights and oppose regime violence.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has condemned Iran's violent crackdown, demanding the immediate release of detained protesters and restoration of internet access to ensure freedom of information. From exile in the USA, Reza Pahlavi, son of the former Shah, has called for nationwide strikes to financially destabilize the regime and urged further protest activities in the coming weekend.

Updates from ARD-aktuell emphasize the tense and fluid nature of the situation, with reports of shootings during the protests. The social unrest stems predominantly from economic hardships fueling public grievances.

As the Iranian government tightens its grip, both domestic resistance and international demonstrations step up, pointing towards an escalating crisis with considerable attention from European observers and governments.