Protests in Iran entered their eleventh consecutive day on Wednesday, with at least 36 demonstrators reported killed so far, according to various reports. Despite the mounting death toll, the demonstrations appear to be continuing at full intensity.
In the city of Abdanan, in Ilam province, which has been a focal point of violent and armed clashes, scenes unfolded that had been rare since the protests began. Large crowds of people of all ages filled the main street during the evening hours. In one video circulating from the city, police officers were allegedly seen standing on the roof of a building and applauding the demonstrators.
People in Abdanan, #Iran, have taken to the streets, chanting "Death to the dictator" and "Death to Khamenei."
The crowd is so large that the security forces have effectively disappeared.#IranProtests #IranProtests2026
pic.twitter.com/h6p190UOAF— Kambiz Ghafouri (@KambizGhafouri) January 6, 2026
Footage documented overnight also showed the Islamist regime in Iran opening extensive live fire on protesters, unarmed civilians, in the city of Neyriz in Fars province. The shooting reportedly resulted in numerous civilian casualties, with many killed and wounded.
BREAKING:
The Islamist regime in Iran is opening live fire en masse on unarmed civilian protesters in Neyriz County, Fars Province, committing mass murder and mass injury of civilians, which is a crime against humanity.
Please share widely so the world can see what's happening. pic.twitter.com/CM6y3MoYub
— Shayan X (@ShayanX0) January 6, 2026
Iranian Armed Forces Commander Gen. Amir Hatami made a highly unusual public reference to the ongoing protests, reiterating the regime's line that the unrest and attacks on Iranian security forces were carried out by foreign agents as part of a plot against the Islamic Republic.
"It is clear to us, as it is to all countries, that we certainly have problems and must work to fix them, but the enemy is focused on harming people, and we cannot ignore that," Hatami said. "Protest is a normal matter in every country, but what is unusual is the speed with which these demonstrations turned into violent riots. This does not fit our culture and was planned by our enemies."
Hatami also issued a threatening message toward Israel and the US, warning of a forceful response to any perceived aggression.
"I can say with confidence that today the readiness of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic is far greater than it was before the war, so if the enemy makes a mistake, it will receive a much more decisive response and we will cut off the hand of any aggressor," he said. "The Islamic Republic of Iran views the escalation of hostile rhetoric against the Iranian nation as a threat and will not leave continued escalation unanswered."
In a related development, Reuters reported morning Iran had executed a man accused of spying for Israel. According to the report, the condemned man was identified as Ali Ardestani. Iranian authorities in Tehran did not provide additional details regarding the legal proceedings or the circumstances surrounding the case.
