NEWS CENTER - Protests continue across Iran, and it is being suggested that ceremonies marking the 40th day (Çille) after the deaths of those killed during the demonstrations could trigger a new wave of unrest.

 

Forty-six days have passed since protests began on 28 December in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar. The Iranian authorities have continued to arrests and what critics describe as violent crackdowns in an effort to suppress the demonstrations. Sources inside Iran say that children have been increasingly targeted in the latest wave of pressure, with some reportedly taken from schools and brought to official state ceremonies. There are also claims that young people and children have been forcibly detained and pressured to act as informants.

 

Preparations are under way for 40th-day memorial ceremonies for those killed in the protests. In Iran, such observances – known as “Çille (Cheleh, 40th day) – hold deep cultural and religious significance. Some observers believe these gatherings could evolve into a second wave of demonstrations.

 

In Rojhilat (Iran Kurdistan) and other predominantly Kurdish areas, where a de facto state of emergency is said to remain in place, sources report that prominent political figures, activists, and individuals involved in Kurdish language and cultural work are under constant surveillance by security forces. It is alleged that authorities are monitoring these individuals in their neighbourhoods and workplaces, pressuring them into contact, and attempting to access detailed information, including records of their phone communications.

 

There are also reports that security forces continue to withhold bodies and demand money in exchange for their return. In Kermanshah, it is alleged that after killing Javidname Ardeshir Zarei (40), a member of the Yarsan community, authorities withheld his body and demanded one million toman from his family.

 

A source in Mashhad told the Mezopotamya Agency (MA) that protests are continuing intermittently in many cities, particularly in Rojhilat and Kurdish-majority areas. However, participation has reportedly declined in some places amid propaganda surrounding plans to restore Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former Shah, to power. The source said many Iranians reject being forced to choose between monarchy and the current regime, and are seeking to assert their own political agency.

 

Meanwhile, despite official celebrations marking the 46th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, including chants broadcast from mosques, videos have circulated online appearing to show people shouting “Death to Khamenei” from their homes.