More demonstrations erupt in Iran as rights groups say at least 48 protesters killed - BBC News

Summary

More anti-government protests erupt in Iran, as two human rights groups say at least 48 protesters have been killed since demonstrations began on 28 December
Earlier, the country's supreme leader lashed out at demonstrators, dismissing them as "a bunch of vandals" trying to "please" US President Donald Trump
Trump has previously threatened to "hit" Iran "very hard" if government forces kill protesters
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled former crown prince of Iran, asks Trump to be "prepared to intervene" in support of the Iranian people
The protests, which began in Tehran, were sparked by the collapse of the Iranian currency but have since broadened into anti-government protests - BBC Verify has mapped their spread
"The messages on WhatsApp still just have one check mark. They haven't delivered yet," one woman tells the BBC as a nationwide internet blackout remains in place across Iran
The BBC and most other international news organisations are barred from reporting inside Iran, so social media is relied upon to verify what is happening on the ground

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Why are there huge protests going on in Iran?

Live Reporting

Edited by Emily McGarvey and Johanna Chisholm, with reporting from BBC Persian

Protesters chant support for ousted monarchypublished at 20:34 GMT 8 January
Ghoncheh Habibiazad
Senior reporter, BBC Persian

BBC Persian has been looking at videos tonight of the protests erupting in different parts of the country.
We have verified videos from Tehran, northern Mazandaran and Golestan provinces, north-western Ardabil Province, and Kish Island in southern Iran.
Videos we have verified show protesters chanting in favour of the pre-1979 Pahlavi Monarchy, and in opposition to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The son of Iran’s late Shah, Reza Pahlavi, had issued a call for tonight for protests to take to the streets.
Massive internet blackout detected across Iranpublished at 20:18 GMT 8 January

Internet tracking agency NetBlocks says it has detected a "nationwide blackout" in Iran.
A statement from the group reads: "Live metrics show Iran is now in the midst of a nationwide internet blackout; the incident follows a series of escalating digital censorship measures targeting protests across the country and hinders the public's right to communicate at a critical moment."
Image source, NetBlocks/X
Image caption,
Tracking collected by NetBlocks shows a drop off of network connectivity today.

More large anti-government protests across Iranpublished at 20:14 GMT 8 January

Iran is facing a 12th night of protests in several major cities, in a major wave of unrest triggered by an economic crisis and falling living standards.
Large crowds have gathered in Tehran and other cities that have not previously seen unrest.
On previous nights, there have been violent clashes between protesters and security forces in some places, triggering US President Donald Trump to issue warnings to the Iranian government.
Tonight, US President Donald Trump has again said the US will strike Iran "very hard" if the government kills protesters.
Internet monitoring group Netblocks has reported a "nationwide blackout" in the country.
We're monitoring the latest developments and will bring you the latest here.