Human rights activists have reported killings of demonstrators during crackdowns, and media outlets say the demonstrations have become one of the biggest threats to Iran's so-called clerical establishment, which has ruled since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Dozens of people were arrested, including famous athletes and even relatives of the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah

.

Suppression of protests

The Iranian authorities brutally suppress any protests - often with the use of firearms.

"The Islamic Republic is using such intense violence in Kurdistan to silence protests across Iran," activists say.

According to the Oslo-based Organization for Human Rights in Iran (IHR), more than 400 people, including several dozen minors, have been killed by government forces across the country during the protests.

According to the IHR, more than a hundred people died in Kurdistan, Kermanshah and West Azerbaijan, three provinces with significant Kurdish populations.

Among Iranian users of social networks, a video of several injured protesters lying in the streets to the sound of loud gunfire is circulating.

IHR also shared footage of what the organization said were security forces firing on protesters in Piranshehra, a city in West Azerbaijan province.

A 16-year-old teenager was among those killed in the city on November 20.

The violence is taking place against the background of concerns about the situation in Mehabad.

This city is also located in West Azerbaijan.

Users on social networks publish videos of the deployment of the armed forces there.

There were rumors about the introduction of martial law in the city, but it was not officially announced.

The US has imposed sanctions on several high-ranking military personnel, including the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' ground forces in Mehabad.

What started it all

Anti-government actions in the Islamic Republic began in mid-September — after the death of 22-year-old

.

A resident of Tehran of Kurdish origin was detained by the customs police for improperly wearing a hijab.

Amini was sent from the site to the hospital, where she died.

Many Iranians accused the police of beating the detainee and took to the streets in protest against the authorities.

After some time, Iranians living abroad joined the protests.

The Iranian national football team supported the protesters.

The players at the World Cup in Qatar refused to sing the anthem of their country before the first match against England.

According to the captain of the national team, the athletes unanimously made such a decision as a sign of solidarity with the protesters.

During the performance of the music, the football players were silent.

The fans greeted their act with applause.

On the stands, Iranian spectators displayed symbols of protests, for example, the inscriptions "Woman, life, freedom" - this is one of the slogans of modern protests in the Islamic republic.

After losing to the USA on November 29, the Iranian national team did not enter the playoffs of the World Cup.

Iran accuses the Kurds, Azerbaijan and Israel

Iranian authorities have blamed "terrorist and separatist groups" as well as Kurdish opposition groups based in Iraq for fueling unrest in the regions — especially South Azerbaijan and Kurdistan.

In addition, this time Baku was also accused of supporting the protests.

According to Tehran, neighboring Azerbaijan officially supports the protesters, allowing the media to spread anti-Iranian and anti-religious content.

Against the background of the accusations, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry drew Tehran's attention to Iran's rapprochement with Armenia (and Baku and Yerevan still have not settled the conflict over the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh).

Tehran responded to Azerbaijan by reproaching friendly relations with Israel - they are allegedly used to destabilize the Islamic republic.

The Iranian news agency Iran Press reported that Azerbaijan is trying to portray Israel as a friend of Muslims.

Iranian media also shared a clip showing Baku marked with an Iranian flag, after which a question appears on the screen in Azerbaijani: "Through which does the road to Quds pass?"

(the name of Jerusalem in Farsi - RS note).

Israel itself also received another accusation from Iran.

Tehran claims that the agents of the Israeli special service "Massad" conduct intelligence activities against the Islamic Republic from the territory of Azerbaijan and with the approval of the Azerbaijani authorities.

At the end of October, Iran announced the detention of at least 10 people allegedly connected to Israeli intelligence.

And at the end of November, it became known about the death sentence for four people in the case of ties with Mossad.

Tehran's accusations were made against the background of the opening of the Azerbaijani embassy in Tel Aviv.

Israel and Azerbaijan categorically rejected all accusations against them.