Twelfth Day of Nationwide Protests; Expansion of Public Gatherings and Market Strikes in Various Cities of Iran

The popular protests against the Islamic Republic continued into their twelfth day on Thursday, January 18, 1404, with widespread citizen participation in the streets and market strikes in various cities across Iran. Videos and reports from different parts of the country indicate a simultaneous expansion of protest gatherings and business closures. In Sarvestan, Fars province, protesters took to the streets and chanted slogans. A number of women present at this gathering emphasized the solidarity of the protesters with the slogan, 'Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, we are all together.' In Drokhbijar, Gilan province, shopkeepers joined the strike by closing their stores. On Wednesday night, thousands of people came out in this small town, and some reports indicate that two protesters were killed following gunfire from government agents. According to citizens, this incident prompted shopkeepers to join the strike on Thursday. In Kerman, reports indicate gunfire was heard during the protests. In Kazeroon, citizens took to the streets after businesses closed and chanted slogans. In Kalachai, Gilan province, protesters gathered chanting 'Death to the dictator,' and the shopkeepers in this city also voiced protest slogans after the strike. In the north of the country, protesters in Lahijan took to the streets with the slogan 'We don't want spectators, join us.' Additionally, protests were reported in several areas of Isfahan, with gunfire and clashes between agents and protesters, as well as street blockades by demonstrators. A nationwide strike began in the provinces of Kurdistan and Kermanshah. In Ilam province, citizens of Lomaar took to the streets with the slogan 'Tank, cannon, firecracker, the clerics must disappear.' In Sirvan, shops were closed and people joined protest gatherings. Reports indicate a complete shutdown of shops in Sarpol-e Zahab. The market strike has spread to various regions of the country. The market in Daylam, Bushehr province, and the market in Qazvin have been reported as completely closed. In Arak, shopkeepers held a protest gathering while on strike. Published videos also show widespread protests by citizens in the Hamadan market. In Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, families of detainees in Boroujen gathered in front of the police command and demanded accountability from officials. In the east and central regions of the country, shopkeepers in Sabzevar joined the nationwide strike by closing their shops. In Shahpour Jadid, Isfahan province, protesters blocked a street by setting fires and chanting slogans. In Mobarakeh, Isfahan, shopkeepers closed their stores and took to the streets, and in Nishapur, shopkeepers also joined the strike. In Fars province, Safashahr also witnessed widespread shop closures and shopkeepers joining the strike. According to videos sent to Voice of America, a new wave of shopkeeper strikes began on Thursday, January 18, 1404, in several cities of the provinces of Kurdistan and Kermanshah alongside the ongoing nationwide protests. These strikes encompass the cities of Sanandaj, Ilam, Divandareh, Marivan, Boukan, Qorveh, and Baneh, with reports indicating widespread closures of businesses in these areas. According to human rights organizations Hengaw and Hana Human Rights Organization, the shopkeeper strikes in these provinces began in a coordinated manner, with calls for action published on social media two days prior. On Wednesday, the eleventh day of protests, numerous cities across Iran witnessed protest gatherings, including Fouladjan, Mashhad, Tehran, Bandar Abbas, Shiraz, Nishapur, Lordegan, Abadan, Rasht, Bojnourd, Qazvin, Kerman, Gilan-e Gharb, Hamadan, Aligudarz, Boroujen, Astara, Chaboksar, Hasarak in Karaj, Zahedan, Firuzkuh, Mehran, Bandar Kangan, Tonekabon, Chenaran, Sabzevar, Abhar, Khorramdarreh, Arsanjan, Ashkhaneh, Fariman, Fasa, and Saqqez. The protesters' slogans varied widely, including a new slogan 'Khamenei the killer, what a vain hope,' which was heard in several cities following Elon Musk's reaction to one of Ali Khamenei's tweets. Concurrently with the expansion of protests, internet experts reported an increase in disruptions in Iran's internet over the past 24 hours; an action that observers say aims to limit communication and information dissemination among protesters. The Persian page of the U.S. State Department, in a series of posts on the social media platform X, supported the right of the Iranian people to protest and called for an end to the suppression and killing of protesters. The department also thanked an individual who symbolically changed the name of a street in Tehran to Trump, stating, 'The United States respects the voice of the Iranian people and their aspirations and remains committed to supporting their efforts to achieve freedom, prosperity, and greater opportunities.' Meanwhile, the majority of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives wrote in a message on Wednesday, January 17, 'The people of Iran have bravely risen against a repressive regime,' warning that if the Tehran government violently suppresses peaceful protesters, 'justice will be swiftly served.' At the same time, Lindsey Graham, a senior Republican senator, directly warned Ali Khamenei that Donald Trump is not like Barack Obama and that if the Islamic Republic continues to kill its people, it will face serious repercussions. He told the Iranian people, 'We stand with you and support you in reclaiming your country from the ayatollahs, these religious Nazis who kill you and terrorize the world.'