Protesters take to the streets of Tehran on Friday night

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Footage recorded by protesters shows the situation in the Ferdows Boulevard, Tehran. on Friday night Jan 9, 2026. In the footage, a protester held a photo of Prince Reza Pahlavi above his head while two people banged on a trash can, while a crowd of protesters gathered in Saadatabad, Tehran. Massive crowds, fires, and debris can be seen without any apparent military or police response. The protests appear to be growing despite Islamist leaders cutting off access to the internet nationwide in a bid to prevent a potential rebellion. Anti-government protests, which continued on Friday, have taken place in dozens of locations, with two human rights groups reporting at least 50 protesters have been killed. Since protests began on 28 December, at least 51 protesters, including seven children, and 21 security personnel have been killed, according to the US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA). More than 2,311 individuals have also been arrested, the group reported. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) said at least 51 protesters, including nine children, had been killed. ran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei remained defiant in a televised address on Friday, saying: "The Islamic Republic came to power through the blood of several hundred thousand honourable people and it will not back down in the face of those who deny this." Later, in remarks made to a gathering of supporters and broadcast on state television, Khamenei reiterated the message, saying Iran "will not shirk from dealing with destructive elements". By contrast, the son of Iran's last shah, Reza Pahlavi, described the protests on Friday as "magnificent" and urged Iranians to stage further targeted protests over the weekend. "Our goal is no longer just to take to the streets. The goal is to prepare to seize and hold city centres," Pahlavi said in a video message on social media. Pahlavi, who is based in the US, said he was preparing to return to the country.