{"id":82520,"date":"2026-01-09T08:55:29","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T07:55:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iranfreedom.org\/en\/?p=82520"},"modified":"2026-01-09T09:05:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T08:05:15","slug":"iran-uprising-day-12-nationwide-strikes-internet-blackout-and-rising-death-toll-as-protests-escalate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iranfreedom.org\/en\/iran-protests\/2026\/01\/iran-uprising-day-12-nationwide-strikes-internet-blackout-and-rising-death-toll-as-protests-escalate\/82520\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran Uprising Day 12: Nationwide Strikes, Internet Blackout, and Rising Death Toll as Protests Escalate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Iran
Iran uprising Day 12, January 8, 2026: Protesters clash with regime forces amid nationwide strikes and internet blackout.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nationwide Protests and Internet Blackout<\/h3>\n

On Thursday, January 8, 2026, the twelfth consecutive day<\/a> of Iran\u2019s nationwide uprising<\/a>, protests and clashes continued across multiple provinces, turning demonstrations into open confrontations with security forces. Sparked on December 28, 2025 by the collapse of the rial and soaring inflation, the movement has evolved into an uprising demanding the overthrow of the ruling regime.<\/p>\n

By Thursday night, Iran was under a nationwide internet blackout confirmed by NetBlocks<\/a>, with specific loss of connectivity on the TCI backbone in the restive city of Kermanshah. The blackout followed escalating digital censorship targeting protests and was widely interpreted as an attempt to conceal rising casualties and disrupt coordination among protesters.<\/p>\n

Foreign Mercenaries and Regime Crackdown<\/h3>\n

Reports<\/a> from Kermanshah indicated that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC<\/a>) deployed Arabic\u2011speaking members of Iraq\u2019s Hashd al\u2011Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) to assist in suppressing protesters. Local witnesses described these foreign forces operating alongside IRGC units, reflecting the regime\u2019s mounting manpower crisis and reliance on external proxies. Security forces in several cities, including Kermanshah and Sanandaj, used live ammunition against demonstrators, turning parts of western Iran into de facto conflict zones.<\/p>\n

In Lordegan, western Iran, security forces opened fire on rallies that had continued from the previous night into early morning, resulting in the killing of eight protesters. Local reports also indicated that during fierce clashes, a regime colonel and two Basij<\/a> agents were killed as protesters resisted and blocked the Ahvaz road to prevent reinforcements. According<\/a> to the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI\/MEK<\/a>), the confirmed number of protesters killed nationwide since the start of the uprising has reached 44.<\/p>\n