The atmosphere in Tehran is “very heavy and tense” after a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests, a Tehran resident told CNN.
“Everyone knows that a large-scale massacre has taken place, creating a very heavy and tense atmosphere,” said the 47-year-old, who requested anonymity due to safety concerns.
“People are traumatized and even find it difficult to talk about what happened.”
He said the past two days had been “quiet” and people were still congregating “within their own neighbourhoods”, although movement between neighborhoods was prohibited after 8pm and it was “practically a semi-military situation”.
“Police typically tolerate chants and rallies, but the moment they sense movement or escalation, they respond violently,” he said. “My friend witnessed live gunfire at close range.”
He said there was only partial internet connectivity, with access “limited to one or two state-approved applications related to schools, universities and banks,” with most people completely cut off.
Government-imposed internet shutdowns have made it difficult to tally the death toll from the crackdown on anti-government protests. At least 2,403 protesters have been killed since the uprising began in December, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), but the confirmed death toll could rise further as more information emerges.
“Due to this power outage, most people in Iran have not seen the Khalizak video or other recent footage,” the man said, referring to a video showing body bags lined up in a makeshift morgue. “News spreads slowly, mainly by word of mouth.”
“Politically, most people are not aligned with any group or person. Survival comes first. There is fear for life, and then there is the struggle to protect basic livelihoods.”
