Protests spread to Iran's Mashhad

Story

Footage shared by Iran protesters in Vakil Abad, Mashhad, in Eastern Iran, shows the massive protests that erupted on Saturday Jan 10, 2026 despite the nationwide internet blackout. Chants echo through the streets as crowds defy one of the regime’s most heavily policed cities. Mashhad is home to some of Iran’s most powerful clerics, "so when protests hit there, the regime knows the fire’s no longer on the fringe," an Iranian said. The demonstrations, which began nearly two weeks ago as mere economic protests, reached fever pitch Saturday amid a two-day internet blackout, reaching hundreds of cities in all of Iran’s 31 provinces.