Just in: Large protests erupt in Tehran against Israeli airstrikes

DDM News

Tehran, Iran – Massive crowds took to the streets of Tehran on Friday following the conclusion of weekly Islamic prayers, protesting recent Israeli airstrikes on Iran and voicing unified national anger over mounting casualties.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered reports indicating that the demonstrations were led by influential figures, including former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, as well as Iran’s Chief Justice, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i.

Key ministers and the deputy speaker of parliament also joined the highly symbolic public display.

Protesters waved Hezbollah flags and held up images of Iranian leaders who died during the conflict, reinforcing Iran’s alliance with regional militias and anti-Israel resistance groups.

Demonstrations were not confined to the capital alone.

In cities such as Mashhad, Isfahan, Tabriz, Qom, Shiraz, Qazvin, Yazd, and Gilan, thousands flooded the streets in a show of coordinated national defiance.

The spontaneous wave of rallies signals a surge of public mobilization against what many in Iran see as unchecked Israeli aggression.

Israeli missile and air raids have allegedly struck both civilian and military sites, including sensitive nuclear and infrastructural facilities.

Iranian authorities have described these assaults as war crimes and violations of international law.

Reports indicate that the conflict has led to the deaths of hundreds on both sides, deepening a regional crisis that already threatens to escalate further.

Despite the violence, Iran’s diplomatic channels remain open, albeit limited.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while refusing any direct dialogue with the United States, has held backdoor discussions with European officials in Geneva.

The Iranian government insists that U.S. engagement is impossible as long as Israel continues its military offensives.

The strong presence of government and military elites at Friday’s protests was widely seen as a deliberate show of unity between Iran’s ruling institutions and its general population.

Analysts believe the regime is working to consolidate internal support and control public narratives amid a highly volatile period.

Meanwhile, chants of “Death to Israel” and “Down with America” echoed through Tehran’s central districts as demonstrators carried banners accusing Israel of targeting innocent civilians and seeking to destabilize the Iranian state.

For many, the rallying call represents not only anger over the ongoing violence but also a reaffirmation of Iran’s ideological and strategic positions in the region.

The participation of former IRGC commander Jafari carried particular weight.

Known for his hardline stance and close ties with Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Jafari’s leadership of the march signaled a potential hardening of Iran’s military posture.

The rallies follow weeks of sustained bombardments between Iranian-aligned forces and Israel, with Hezbollah and other proxy groups engaging from Lebanon and Syria.

The broader geopolitical implications are significant, as both sides have refused to de-escalate, raising fears of a wider Middle East war.

Western analysts have expressed concern that ongoing hostilities could spill into neighboring countries or disrupt critical maritime routes in the Persian Gulf.

While the Iranian government continues to portray the protests as a grassroots expression of national unity, observers note the strategic timing of the marches.

With public morale under strain due to casualties, economic sanctions, and the looming threat of war, state-orchestrated rallies serve as both a message to foreign powers and a domestic morale booster.

Despite calls from the United Nations for a ceasefire and an end to civilian targeting, fighting continues unabated, with airstrikes reported as recently as Thursday night in southern Iran.

Images and videos circulating on Iranian state media showed families, students, and clerics marching alongside soldiers and political leaders, often holding posters of martyred commanders such as Qassem Soleimani and flags of regional militias.

There has been no immediate response from Israel regarding the protests.

However, Israeli defense officials have reiterated their commitment to “neutralizing threats posed by Iran and its proxies.”

As diplomatic negotiations remain deadlocked, tensions in the region continue to rise.

The UN Security Council has called for an emergency session next week to address the crisis, but hopes for immediate resolution remain dim.

For now, the protests underscore a clear message from Tehran: the Iranian regime is preparing for a long confrontation and is determined to unify its people around resistance and resilience.

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