Iran on the brink as protesters move to take two cities, appeal to Trump
Iranian protesters issued a direct appeal for help from President Donald Trump on Tuesday as unrest continued to spiral across the nation for the tenth day.
The appeal, shared on X, showed a woman holding up a sign with the words "Trump, a symbol of peace. Don't let them kill us," on it.
The woman's cry for help came amid reports of at least 29 deaths and more than 1,200 arrests, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
HRANA also reported an escalation in force by security units, including the use of pellet guns, tear gas and direct assaults on demonstrators.
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The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) also claimed the cities of Abdanan (Ilam province) and Malekshahi were effectively "taken over" by protesters.
"Today there was a major development in two cities in Western Iran that have been effectively taken over and people are actually celebrating in the streets," Ali Safavi, told Fox News Digital. "They were chanting, ‘Death to Khamenei!’"
"Despite everything the regime has done, the fear factor seems to have shifted because people have made the suppressive forces flee," Safavi added.
Maryam Rajavi, NCRI president-elect also shared a post on X saluting the protesters in Malakshahi and Abdanan who she said, "drove the regime's enforcers into retreat."
Demonstrations, strikes and street gatherings have also been reported across dozens of cities in multiple provinces.
In Ilam province, witnesses and rights groups reported that tear gas was fired inside Imam Khomeini Hospital as authorities attempted to arrest wounded protesters transferred from nearby towns, according to reports.
Amnesty International said on Tuesday, "The Iranian security forces’ attack on a hospital in Ilam, where injured protesters are seeking medical care or shelter, violates international law."
Similar accounts emerged from Tehran, where security forces were reportedly seen entering Sina Hospital, prompting fear among patients and families.
As previously reported by Fox News Digital, the unrest has been driven by a mix of economic desperation and political anger.
What started as labor strikes and merchant protests over currency collapse and inflation has expanded into widespread street demonstrations and student protests.
Parts of Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and major commercial centers in Mashhad were also partially or fully closed, according to recent reports.
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"What makes the 2025 protests different to before is that the knife has reached the bone for Iranian citizens," Safavi continued.
"People feel they have nothing anymore and have reached a breaking point," he added.
Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi also urged Iranians to chant protest slogans nationwide on Thursday and Friday evenings.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., warned Iran’s leadership that continued violence against protesters could carry serious consequences, writing on X that regime leaders should understand they act "at their own peril."
His remarks came after a recent warning from Trump, who said on Truth Social that the U.S. was "locked and loaded and ready to go," in the wake of the rising protests.