Mass protests returned to Iran on Friday in the southwest city of Kazeroon, with social media videos showing hundreds demonstrating during the weekly prayers and on the streets.
Videos that emerged early on Friday showed some of largest public gatherings since the protests started last December.
Iranian users on Twitter used hashtags with the various spellings of #Kazeroun, #Karzeroon and in Persian #كازرون to document the events.
“Massive protest during Friday prayer in Kazeroun” one tweet showing a protest inside the city mosque said.
Massive protest during Friday prayer in Kazeroun. Friday prayers are led by a regime cleric & are symbolically very important for regime legitimatcy. Here #Iranians bravely demonstrate their opposition to the regime. pic.twitter.com/ym3wpBzw3N
— Alireza Nader علیرضا نادر (@AlirezaNader) April 20, 2018
Another highlighted presence of Iranian women in the mosque chanting anti-regime slogans alongside men.
تسخیر سنگر نماز جمعه، این بار در #کازرون و این بار با حضور زنان در31 فروردین. سندی بر ورشکستگی جمهوری اسلامی #دشمن_ما_همین_جاست
— زُرْوانْ (@Z0RVAAN) April 20, 2018
همش/دروغ میگن آمریکاست
pic.twitter.com/S2SgbKNtdT
Some of the chants, four months after the protests started, took a more extreme tone.
“Fear the day we become armed” this tweet read:
#IranProtests in Kazeroun today. Protestors take over Friday prayer mosque, chant: “fear the day we become armed.” #کازرون pic.twitter.com/4QwbKOwRak
— Farnaz Fassihi (@farnazfassihi) April 20, 2018
Another quoted chants that decry the regime’s anti-US government focus.
"Our enemy is right here and falsely they've told us America is our enemy", one reportedly said:
This is not #Iran in 1979. This is #Iran in 2018. And these are no ordinary protests.
— Alireza Nader علیرضا نادر (@AlirezaNader) April 20, 2018
pic.twitter.com/aFLJlJHQW7
The demonstrations were also seen outside the mosque:
Alireza Nader, an Iran analyst based in Washington who closely monitors the protests, told The National that Friday's "are the most organised and anti-regime protests I've seen since December."
“The fact they’re taking place at the Friday prayer is major, given that those prayers are the central symbol and focal point of the regime in any given municipality” he added.
The protests, triggered in December by tough economic conditions in Iran, are now happening in parallel with business strikes and protests in the country's northwest.
Voice of America reported on Friday about protests and strikes happening in seven towns since Sunday. "Those towns include Baneh, Javanrud, Mahabad, Marivan, Piranshahr, Saqqez and Sardasht", VoA said.
There were also reports this week of outrage against mistreatment of an Iranian woman over the hijab issue.
“Here is the video of the morality police mistreating a woman over her hijab. It's outrageous and it's not happening for the first time” Golnaz Esfandiari tweeted.
Here is the video of the morality police mistreating a woman over her hijab. It's outrageous and it's not happening for the first time #Iran https://t.co/94VYLuwWML https://t.co/P2GJrAsqnh
— Golnaz Esfandiari (@GEsfandiari) April 19, 2018
The protests come at a time of worsening economic conditions in Iran. The Iranian riyal continues it’s slippery slide. The cost of living conditions and food has gone up contributing to more resentment against the regime.