Protests continued across Iran for the 100th day on Saturday, as the Iranian government continued to escalate its crackdown on protests, issuing additional death sentences against protesters and restricting internet access.
Protesters gathered in Tehran, Mashhad, Karaj, Sanandaj, Ahvaz, Isfahan and Bandar Abbas, among other cities, chanting slogans such as "death to the dictator" and "we don't want an Islamic Republic."
مشهد سوم دی ۱۴۰۱#مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/h9jQ5G1EyU
— +۱۵۰۰تصویر (@1500tasvir) December 24, 2022
The gatherings took place despite heavy snowfall and rain.
In Karaj, a crowd of protesters chanted "our judges are murderers, the whole system is corrupt" in videos shared by the 1500tasvir account.
The protests, sparked originally by the killing of Mahsa Amini by Tehran's "morality police" in September, marked 100 days on Saturday, despite the pressure placed by regime forces on demonstrators.
تهرانگزارشگر:امروز سوم دی ۱۴۰۱ شعار مردم بر علیه خامنهای ضحاکپیروزی نزدیکه #مرگ_بر_خامنه_ای بلوار فردوس غرب -تهرانشعار مردم:#مرگ_بر_دیکتاتور مرگ بر خامنهای قاتل pic.twitter.com/mGzNWgpp8y
— Iranworkers (@iranworkers) December 24, 2022
Iranian authorities continued to crack down heavily on protests, restricting internet access in some areas and issuing death sentences.
The 1500tasvir account noted that not all of the death sentences issued are made public as information about many detainees isn't being published by authorities.
⬇️We’re deeply worried about the lives of all our compatriots captured by the Islamic Republic, in danger of execution. Esp. in smaller cities, there’s less info about detainees. We can only announce the names of those that we know about, whose precious lives are in danger:
— 1500tasvir_en (@1500tasvir_en) December 20, 2022
Over 500 protesters have been killed since the nationwide demonstrations began 100 days ago, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran organization. Many protesters are sitting on death row in Iranian prisons as well.
Iranian official warns Iran protests will escalate further without dialogue
Mohammad Sadr, a member of Iran's Expediency Council which advises Iran's supreme leader, warned that while the protests have largely avoided economic slogans, the deteriorating economic situation in Iran could spark economic protests "which is very dangerous," in an interview with the Iranian Donya-e-Eqtesad newspaper on Saturday.
Sadr stressed that this was a reason for Iran to return to the JCPOA nuclear deal in order to lighten sanctions on the country and improve its economy.
The Iranian official added that "dialogue is the best solution" for the ongoing unrest.
"One hundred percent of the demands of the protesters are not impractical, and we can implement some of these demands over time in order to de-complex a little and move towards a peaceful country. If we don't use this method, we will be forced to continue the previous security methods that even if these protests seem to be reduced or collected, will still remain in the heart of society, youth and political figures and will continue to resurface," warned Sadr.
Analysts note that protests continue despite crackdown
The Critical Threats Project (CTP) of the American Enterprise Institute noted on Friday that while the rate of demonstrations has gone up and down, it has "not recorded a single day with no protests since September 16."
The project stressed that reduced protest activity does not indicate the end of the anti-regime movement and the regime will "struggle to sustain this level of oppression indefinitely, especially given the degree to which this crackdown has strained the state security apparatus."
Protest coordinators and organizations are contrastingly exploring ways to sustain regular acts of political defiance and have been forming the requisite networks and infrastructure for months," wrote the CTP, noting that observed protests may become a less-useful indicator for the status of the anti-regime movement in the coming weeks and months.