Reports related to demonstrations and public protests
Basij forces are taking shelter under a bridge in Rasht, Iran, believing Israeli drones cannot reach them there. The troops appear frightened, experiencing for the first time the sensation of being pursued by a technologically advanced adversary.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the new leader of the Islamic Republic, issued separate written condolence messages for the killings of Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij Organization, describing Larijani's death as "painful" and Soleimani's as "regrettable."
A video obtained by Iran International shows Iranians in Ottawa, Canada, celebrating the traditional Iranian Chaharshanbe Suri festival, during which attendees chanted "Long live the Shah" and "Khamenei is done for."
The U.S. Director of National Intelligence reported to the Senate Intelligence Committee that Iran has not attempted to rebuild its nuclear enrichment capacity following the joint U.S.-Israeli military operations. The conflict, now in its nineteenth day, has disrupted the energy market due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Brigadier General Qassem Qoreishi, deputy chief of the IRGC's Basij organization, was reportedly killed in Israeli airstrikes that occurred two nights ago in Iran.
Mehrzad Boroujerdi, a professor at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, stated that the killings of Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani will not spark a public uprising in Iran, citing the regime's repressive tactics and the limited number of elite officials targeted since the start of US and Israeli attacks in March 9.
A video obtained by Iran International shows Iranians in Madrid, Spain, observing Chaharshanbe Suri by paying tribute to revolutionary figures and chanting "Long Live the Shah," while singing "Heydar Heydar, Khamenei is done for."
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has condemned the assassination of three high-ranking officials—cabinet members Ismail Khatib and Ali Larijani, and military and Basij commander Aziz Nasirzadeh—as well as several family members and accompanying team members, expressing condolences to the Iranian people and pledging continued steadfastness on their path.
Reports indicate increasing drive-by shooting attacks against Basij militia checkpoints in Iran, as more militia members refuse to report for duty due to growing pressure on the regime.
A video obtained by Iran International shows a Basij checkpoint set up under a bridge on the road from Oshen toward the north.
Priti Patel, former UK Home Secretary and current Shadow Foreign Secretary, questioned why the UK diverges from the rest of the world in designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization, given its threats to both regional and UK homeland security.
News sources report the killing of Second Brigadier General of the IRGC Bahman Bahrami Farsani, Deputy Commander of the Basij, in an Israeli operation in Iran. This action is seen as a direct blow to the internal repression apparatus of the Islamic Republic regime.
