new protests in Tehran

Tehran (dpa) — Protests against Iran’s leadership have returned to the capital, Tehran, according to activist reports.

Protests were reported on Friday in the southern neighbourhood of Nazi Abad, with videos circulating on social media showing people moving through the streets and chanting slogans against the leadership of the Islamic Republic.

Images also appeared to show some rubbish containers set on fire. The authenticity of the footage could not initially be verified.

Meanwhile, Reza Pahlavi, the son of the shah who was overthrown in the 1979 revolution, called for protests in the capital. In a post on the platform X, Pahlavi urged a “massive presence” of people in Tehran and called for the establishment of roadblocks on key routes and main roads.

Pahlavi lives in exile and it remains unclear how much influence he has over the protests. Iran’s opposition abroad is widely seen as divided and fragmented.

Protests were also reported to be continuing elsewhere in the country. State news agency IRNA reported demonstrations in several cities, including Ghom, Marvdasht, Mashhad and Hamedan.

The current wave of protests was triggered by a sharp collapse in the value of Iran’s local currency last Sunday.

In recent days, the most violent unrest and clashes between security forces and demonstrators have occurred mainly in rural areas. At least 10 people have been killed so far, according to human rights activists.