One of Iran’s biggest mosques torched as anti-government protests intensify in Iran

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Footage shows the Al-Rasool Mosque, one of Iran’s biggest mosques, in capital Tehran being burned amid escalating anti-government protest on Friday night Jan 9, 2026. The protests appear to be growing despite Islamist leaders cutting off access to the internet nationwide in a bid to prevent a potential rebellion. Massive crowds, fires, and debris can be seen without any apparent military or police response. Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani said unrest on Thursday night saw more than 50 banks and several government buildings set on fire. "More than 30 mosques went up in flames," he said in a video distributed by the state-linked Mehr News Agency.