Dozens reported killed during Iran protests as internet blackout persists
CNN••nation
Key Points:
- Iranian authorities reportedly used military rifles to kill at least 30 people in Neyshabur during protests, with many more injured and hospitals overwhelmed, according to an Iranian doctor; CNN has not independently verified casualty figures.
- Protests across Iran, including Tehran, have seen large crowds and brutal crackdowns by security forces, with reports of bodies piling up in hospitals and widespread chaos amid a near-total internet blackout lasting over 48 hours.
- The Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, condemned protesters on social media despite the communications blackout, while human rights activists report severe beatings and detentions of dissidents like Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi.
- Demonstrators have revived calls for the return of the monarchy, rally
