In its address, Iranian state television reported that "the government of the country declares a three-day mourning in honor of the martyrs who died in the struggle against the USA and the Zionist regime."
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called on the people to participate in a march dedicated to national resistance and condemned the violence, stating that he would not allow the rioters to harm the country. In his speech, he accused the USA and Israel of organizing mass protests.
Protests began in late December 2025, triggered by a sharp decline in the national currency and rising prices. Participants are demanding a change of political regime and the return to power of Reza Pahlavi, the son of the overthrown Shah in 1979. According to the human rights organization HRANA, since the beginning of the protests, the death toll has reached at least 538 people, including 48 security personnel. More than 10,600 people have been arrested, and the internet in the country has been shut down for over three days.
