2021 Iranian protests

For the last few days, the water crisis in Iran, mainly in the south, reached a critical point, leaving people without water for hours. People took to the streets, pointing the blame at the regime and what they see as its corrupt policies. In Ahvaz, angry rioters blocked the main road while protesting severe water shortages on the night of 15 July, starting the protests.

According to reports from Iran, cities like Ahvaz, Bostan, and Mahshahr witnessed riots and people clashing with the security forces. Massive gunfire was used to disperse crowds of people in many areas, like Susangerd. In Hamidiyeh, there was a heavy police presence as 300+ people started rallies chanting I Am Thirsty!.[11]

On 16 July, street protests continued, with thousands and thousands of demonstrators marched on the streets of Ahvaz, Mahshahr, Bushehr and Bostan. According to media sources, one person was killed during protests in southeastern Iran by gunfire.[12] People threw stones as protests construed through the night.

On 17 July, hundreds of videos circulated online from citizens journalists and media sources from the protest marches, like in Kut-e Abdollah, Karkheh and Shush, where regime forces opened fire on the protesters, killing three protesters. Gunshots can be heard in other cities as tens of thousands of protesters marched and set vehicles on fire and chanted anti-government slogans.[13]

On 18 July, thousands rallied again in more areas across Iran to protest the water shortages. Videos showed people setting fire to tires, blocking roadways in anger. Anti-riot police in helmets and camouflage fatigues scuffled with demonstrators. Police also fired shotguns in one video, though it wasn't clear if it was live ammunition or so-called “bean bag rounds” designed to be less lethal.[14]

On the night of the 18th and on the 19th, demonstrations escalated with further violence and protests. In Susangerd, defiant youths fought against the heavily armed State Security Force (SSF) while chanting, “We will not accept humiliation,” and “People demand regime change.” The SSF special anti-riot units tried to disperse the demonstrators by firing tear gas and pepper spray, firing birdshots, and directly targeting the defenseless protesters, which wounded many people. However, the youths resisted them by throwing rocks while chanting anti-regime slogans. In Shush, demonstrators surrounded the governor's office. Terrified of the growing anger of the demonstrators, the SSF retreated into the building and closed the gate. The defiant youths set fire at the main Ahvaz-Shush highway in the Al-Hayi area north of Ahvaz and the main road in the Malashiah area south of the city. In Khorramshahr (southwest Khuzestan), to prevent the spread of protests, regime security forces set up checkpoints at the entrance to the city and arrested youths and protesters.[15]

One police was shot dead in the protest.[16]

On 19 July, protests intensified in Khuzestan Videos of water protests in Khuzestan province, which has a large population of Iranian Arabs, show demonstrators chanting in Arabic: "We are thirsty!", "We want the regime to fall!". Roads were blocked by burning tyres and stones in Ramhormoz as rallies gained steam in Ahvaz, where more than 5000 people gathered chanting We Want the regime to fall. Protesters called for the governors to resign outside the governates of both areas. In other videos, to quell protests, police were seen firing teargas and live ammunition to disperse protesters. Ghasem Khaziri, 17, from the southwestern city of Ahvaz, and Mostafa Naemavi, 30, from the nearby city of Shadegan were confirmed to be dead during further demonstrations on 20 and 17 July.[17]

On 20 July, protesters chanted anti-regime slogans and rallied in Ahvaz, Esfahan, Tehran, Ramhormoz, Khuzestan, Shadegan and Bushehr. Thousands gathered outside governor’s offices in those areas and clapped, and danced, among them was children. Tyres were burnt as the security fired bullets to act against protesters in Ahvaz. Amateur videos posted online appear to show a heavy police presence using tear gas to disperse protesters in several cities. Gunshots are heard in some of the videos, while in others protesters appear to be burning tires to block streets and are throwing rocks at security forces.[18]

On 21 July, protest marches escalated into deadly violence. One protester was killed during a clash in Ahvaz, with rallies in Esfahan, Yazdanshahr and Susangerd becoming violent. Demonstrators said to be in Masjed Soleyman chanted, “Police, support us,” a reference to local concerns about security forces cracking down harshly on earlier rallies. Social media videos that appeared to be from Tuesday’s protests in Izeh but could not be verified by VOA showed protesters chanting “Death to Khamenei” and “Reza Shah, bless your soul.” Evidence of violence such as gunshots were also were heard in those videos.“Death to Khamenei” has been a common refrain of Iranian anti-government protesters angered by the authoritarian rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in recent years. “Reza Shah, bless your soul” also has been uttered in previous waves of Iranian street protests as a in a minor attempt to show affection toward the founder of the nation’s former monarchy, Reza Shah. Khamenei’s predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, ousted Reza Shah’s son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi from power in Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.[19]

In recent days, Persian-language media based abroad have broadcast videos showing protests in Ahvaz, Hamidiyeh, Izeh, Mahshahr, Shadegan and Susangerd

Chants like "I am thirsty, Reza Shah bless his soul" was chanted as thousands continued to protest in Mahshahr, Susangerd, Izeh, Shush and Bandar Abbas on 22 July, with gunshots becoming apparent. A viral video was posted with a woman asking a police officer why they are shooting at the demonstrators. Another fatality was reported as a man was shot, taken to hospital but was confirmed to be dead. Internet services have also been reported to have been disrupted in the region, as Tehran’s residents protested in support of the Khuzestanis. A group of women chanted slogans on the Tehran Metro. Fires were lit as seven protesters were confirmed dead.[20]

Protests continued in cities like Ahvaz Susangerd and Mahshahr. After more than a week of intense protests in Khuzestan, regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei shed tears and alleged sympathy with the people of Khuzestan on Friday. “In the past seven-to-eight days, one of our main concerns was the problems of Khuzestan and the people’s water problem. It is really painful for anyone to see Khuzestan province—with all its loyal people, with all the facilities and natural resources it has, with all the factories it has—to see the people living in such conditions that they become upset,” Khamenei said in televised remarks. 20-year-old Omid Azarkhush was killed on July 22 in Aligoudarz, western Iran after shootings in the city. Over 100 have been detained since 14 July. In Ahvaz, protesters blocked a roadside and a highway to protest water scarcity. Flames rose in Susangerd and Lorestan during protests.[21]

On 24 July, significant protests took place in the northwest city of Tabriz in solidarity with the protests in Khuzestan.[22][23] They were chanting "Death to the Dictator" in support of the protesters back in Khuzestan. Meanwhile, in Ahvaz, Shadegan and Mahshahr, more major protests occurred, as well as protests in Lorestan and Aligudarz. Police opened fire on demonstrators in Shadegan and Mahshahr today, with a funeral of a protester held in Izeh. Anti-government protests reportedly broke out in neighbouring Zanjan to protest the use of force against water protesters in Ahvaz and Aligudarz. People in far-away Bojnourd in Khorasan province came out Saturday to express solidarity with Khuzestan, chanting, “Don’t be afraid, we all stand together.” [24]

People gathered and protested were reported in Saqqez in Iranian Kurdistan.[24] Protests also continued in Khuzestan Province and in East Azerbaijan Province, Heavy Security was also reported in Tabriz, Protesters also spotted protesters getting blindfolded.[25]

On Sunday, locals in Tabriz, northwest Iran, held protests in solidarity with the risen people of Khuzestan. Despite the regime’s oppressive measures, protests continue to spread across Iran and intensify. Tehran’s protests were the biggest since January 2020.

People in Tabriz were making anti-Mullah chants. Protests also reached the cities of Saqqez and Zanjan. The regime witnessed how its oppressive measures, such as dispatching a large contingent of military convoys to cities or imposing internet blackouts in Khuzestan and other provinces, would not prevent protests from spreading and intensifying.[26]

Protests reached Tehran, the capital of Iran.[27] Also elsewhere in Karaj people protested, Employees of the Khomeini Hospital in Karaj marched on the streets today to demand their unpaid wages and express their economic woes. They chanted: "Where did our money go? In the pockets of officials!". For the 3rd day in Izeh protests also continued there.

Mass rallies protested the bad economic situation in Iran for two consecutive days.[28]

Mass protests were held in Isfahan against the water shortages and the Islamic republic itself.[29]

More women joined the protests in November to protest side by side with men.[30]