Insiders in Iran described heavy security and widespread damage in the first calls to the outside world
Iranians can call abroad on cellphones on Tuesday for the first time since communications were suspended during protests across the country in which activists say at least 646 people have been killed.
Several people in Tehran were able to call The Associated Press and speak to a reporter there. The AP office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was unable to return calls to those numbers. Witnesses say SMS messages are still down and that Internet users in Iran can connect to government-approved websites in the country but nothing abroad.
Witnesses gave a glimpse of life on the streets of the Iranian capital during four and a half days of isolation. They described seeing heavy security in central Tehran.
More than 10,700 people have been arrested in the past two weeks of protests, said the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and provided the latest death toll on Tuesday. It relies on Iran’s backers for intelligence. It said 512 of those who died were protesting and 134 were soldiers.
AP could not independently verify the amount paid. Iran’s government has not released casualty figures.
Banks were burned by the riots
The police fought the violence, wearing helmets and protective clothing, carrying batons, shields, guns and tear gas canisters. They stopped to look at the main intersection. Nearby, witnesses saw members of the Basij Revolutionary Guard volunteer force, also carrying guns and batons. Uniformed security officers were also seen in public places.
They said that several banks and government offices were burnt down during the unrest. ATMs were smashed and banks struggled to complete offline transactions, witnesses added.
WARNING: The video contains disturbing images | Hundreds of people have died in Iran after attacks on protests across the country and the US has been warned not to intervene or face military retaliation.
Shops were open, although there was little walking in the capital. Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, where protests began on December 28, was due to reopen on Tuesday. However, the witness described talking to many shop owners who said the security guards ordered them to reopen no matter what. Iran’s state media did not approve of the order.
The witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared retribution.
Fear of a military strike
Many are still concerned about a possible military strike on the US, as President Donald Trump has said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington.
“My customers are talking about Trump’s reaction while wondering if he is planning a military strike against the Islamic Republic,” said shopkeeper Mahmoud, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of concern for his safety. “I don’t expect Trump or any other foreign country to care about the interests of the Iranian people.”
Reza, who is also a taxi driver who only gave his first name, said that the protests are still on the minds of many.
“People – especially young people – do not have hope, but they talk about continuing the protests,” he said.
Apartment invasion
Meanwhile, security forces appeared to be searching Starlink terminals as people in northern Tehran reported authorities raiding apartment buildings and satellite dishes. Although satellite TV dishes are illegal, many in the capital have them in their homes, and officials have stopped enforcing the law in recent years.
On the streets, people could be seen challenging the plainclothes security officers, who were stopping passers-by.
State television also read a statement about mortuary services and free corpses – a possible sign that some are charging high fees for the release of bodies during this incident.
Iran talks to US ambassador: reports
US President Donald Trump has said that Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after it threatened to attack the Islamic Republic in connection with its attack.
Iran, through the Speaker of the Parliament, warned on Sunday that American and Israeli soldiers “will be legitimate victims” if Washington uses force to protect the protesters.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking to the Qatar-sponsored satellite news network Al Jazeera in an interview broadcast Monday night, said he has continued to communicate with US ambassador Steve Witkoff.
Communication “continued before and after the protests and continues,” Araghchi said. However, “Washington’s proposed ideas and threats against our country are not compatible.”
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt said Iran’s public propaganda differs from private messages the administration has received from Tehran in recent days.
“I think the president is interested in testing those messages,” Leavitt said. “However, as has been said, the president has shown that he is not afraid to use military means if he deems it necessary, and no one knows that better than Iran.”
Meanwhile, pro-government protesters filled the streets on Monday in support of the democratic regime, a show of strength after days of protests directly against the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television broadcast chants from the crowd, which appeared to number in the tens of thousands, chanting “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”
Others shouted: “Death to God’s enemies!” Iran’s attorney general warned that anyone participating in the protests would be considered an “enemy of God,” a crime punishable by death.
Trump announced on Monday that countries doing business with Iran would face a 25 percent tariff, as he continued his second presidential administration to impose tariffs on allies and enemies to help serve the White House.
Brazil, China, Russia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are among the economies doing business with Tehran.
