Internet Down in Iran As Protests Rage, Trump Vows Harsh Consequences If Mullahs Shoot Demonstrators – RedState
Anti-regime protests have raged for several days in Iran as people rise up against the repression and economic decline that the mullahs have inflicted on this once free and prosperous Middle Eastern country.
On Thursday, there were widespread reports that the internet was down in large areas of the Islamic Republic as protests intensified. It is unclear whether the despotic leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, or one of his henchmen, ordered its removal.
In any case, it is unavailable for most:
Iranian authorities appeared to cut internet access Thursday in the capital and some other parts of the country as mass protests and chants against the government continue. Multiple sources in Tehran told CBS News that the internet was down in the capital.
Monitoring organization NetBlocks said around 8:30 a.m. local time in Iran that its live data “shows that Iran is now in the midst of a nationwide internet blackout; the incident follows a series of escalating digital censorship measures targeting protests across the country and hampering the public’s right to communicate at a critical time.”
THE BEGINNING OF THE END?
New development: Tehran unleashes foreign fighters against demonstrators
Is it “departure time” in Iran?
Meanwhile, the protests reach a fever pitch as the angry population grows emboldened. The images that emerge are striking:
BREAK:
Residents of Tehran are currently burning regime buildings. The crowd is HUGE.
— 𝐍𝐢𝐨𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐠 ♛ ✡︎ (@NiohBerg) January 8, 2026
This is Tehran. Let that sink in. You’re watching a revolution unfold live while the world’s media remains completely silent. The traditional media is nothing more than a propaganda machine, because what news could be more important than that? @FoxNews @CNN pic.twitter.com/1X5PlzQAhw
— ثنا ابراهیمی | Sana Ebrahimi (@__Injaneb96) January 8, 2026
Donald Trump supports the rebels, while many believed Barack Obama had abandoned the resistance during similar uprisings in 2009. In an interview with Salem Media radio host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday, the president said he would go after the mullahs if they started shooting at protesters:
NOW – Trump says the US will hit Iran “very hard” and make it “pay hell” if it kills protesters. pic.twitter.com/poKNBSkIV9
– Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) January 8, 2026
Asset:
Well, I don’t want to say it, but I will tell you that they are not doing well, as you probably know better than anyone. They’re doing very badly, and I let them know that if they start killing people, which they tend to do in their riots, they – there’s a lot of them – if they do, we’ll hit them very hard.
The protests have already left many dead as the mullahs try to crack down, as they usually do. However, they are having a tougher time this time around, which may be a reason why they cut off the internet.
So far, the unrest has left at least 39 people dead, including at least four members of the security services, and led to the arrest of more than 2,260 others, according to the US news agency Human Rights Activists News Agency.
Is this the beginning of the end of the Islamic Republic? Very, very few people would shed tears if that were the case. They have been nothing but a threat to the decent world since their creation 46 years ago.
Editor’s note: Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, the warrior ethos is returning to the U.S. military.
Help us report on the successes of Trump and Hegseth in making our military great again. Join RedState VIP and use promo code STRUGGLE to benefit from 60% off your membership.
