Demonstrators in Iran stood against a fatal government crackdown on Saturday evening, taking to the streets amid reports of hundreds of fatalities and injuries due to the security forces’ actions in the last three days.

Authentic videos and testimonies shared with the BBC seemed to indicate that the government was intensifying its measures, while maintaining a widespread internet blackout.

The nation’s attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, declared on Saturday that anyone engaging in protests would be labeled as an “enemy of God,” a crime punishable by death.

Since protests erupted over two weeks ago, it’s believed that hundreds of demonstrators have been killed or injured, with many others apprehended.

The unrest was ignited by rampant inflation, expanding across more than 100 urban areas in all Iranian provinces. Protesters are now demanding an end to the clerical leadership of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Khamenei has referred to the demonstrators as a “group of vandals” whose actions aim to “satisfy” US President Donald Trump.

To curtail the protests, the Iranian government has enacted an internet blackout. The data infrastructure is strictly controlled by the government and security bodies. Internet service is mainly confined to a local intranet, limiting connections with the outside world.

In recent years, the state has increasingly restricted access to global internet services. However, during this round of protests, authorities have, for the first time, not only terminated worldwide internet access but also significantly curtailed domestic intranet services.

An expert informed BBC Persian that the current internet shutdown is harsher than what was enforced during the “Women, Life, Freedom” uprising three years prior. Internet researcher Alireza Manafi stated that any form of internet access in Iran is now “almost completely down.”

He mentioned that the only probable method to connect to the outside world is via Starlink, but cautioned users to be careful, as these connections might be traceable by the authorities.

The BBC and most other global news outlets are also unable to provide reports from within Iran, complicating the process of gathering and authenticating information.

Regardless, some video evidence has surfaced, and the BBC has communicated with individuals on the ground.

Confirmed footage from Saturday evening displayed protesters occupying the streets in Tehran’s Gisha area. Various verified videos show confrontations between demonstrators and security forces along Vakil Abad Boulevard in Mashhad, the second largest city in Iran.

Masked demonstrators are spotted seeking shelter behind recycling bins and bonfires, while a line of security personnel is observed in the backdrop. A vehicle resembling a bus is seen engulfed in flames.

Numerous gunshots, combined with the sounds of banging pots and pans, resonate as a green laser beam illuminates the chaos.

A figure on a nearby footbridge can be seen in the footage, reportedly firing multiple shots in various directions while several individuals seek refuge behind a fence along the boulevard.

Additional clips from the capital Tehran have also come to light. One verified video depicts a sizable crowd of protesters accompanied by the noise of banging pots in Punak Square, which has emerged as one of the significant protest sites this week.

Another recording, taken in the Heravi district of northeastern Tehran and confirmed by BBC Persian and BBC Verify, showcases a group of demonstrators marching and demanding the end of the clerical regime.

On Saturday, Trump posted on social media: “Iran is on the brink of FREEDOM, possibly like never seen before. The USA is prepared to assist!!!”

While he did not elaborate, US media outlets reported that Trump had received briefings on potential military actions in the nation. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal (WSJ) confirmed that such briefings occurred, with the Journal labeling them as “initial discussions.” An unnamed official informed the WSJ that there was no “imminent threat” to Iran, as noted by the publication.

Last year, the US executed airstrikes on Iranian nuclear installations.

US Senator Lindsey Graham publicly endorsed the protests multiple times on social media, stating: “To the Iranian citizens: your prolonged nightmare is nearing its end.”

Their “courage and resolve to cease your oppression” has been registered by the US president, he claimed. “Help is on its way,” he asserted in the same message.

Earlier, he warned: “To the regime’s leaders: your cruelty towards the noble people of Iran will not go unanswered.”

As dawn arrived on Sunday in Iran, Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah (king), whose return protesters have been calling for, posted a video on X.

In its caption, he stated: “Understand that you are not alone. Your fellow countrymen worldwide are proudly echoing your voice… Particularly, President Trump, as the leader of the free world, has been keenly observing your unparalleled bravery and has conveyed that he is willing to support you.”

He added: “I anticipate being by your side soon.”

Based in the US, Pahlavi has been urging the public to take to the streets and has expressed his preparations to return to Iran.

He claimed that the Islamic Republic is experiencing a “critical shortage of mercenaries” and that “numerous armed forces and security personnel have either abandoned their posts or disobeyed orders to suppress the populace.” The BBC could not validate these claims.

Pahlavi encouraged people to keep protesting on Sunday night, but advised them to remain in groups or with crowds to not “put your lives at risk.”

Amnesty International stated that it was examining “disturbing reports indicating that security forces had escalated their illegal use of deadly force against demonstrators” since Thursday.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper mentioned that those voicing opposition to Khamenei’s government ought not to face “the threat of violence or retaliation.”

Since Friday night, personnel at three hospitals have reported to the BBC being overwhelmed with casualties. The BBC Persian service confirmed that 70 bodies were received at a single hospital in Rasht city on Friday night.

BBC Persian verified the identities of 26 deceased individuals, including six children. Members of the security forces have also lost their lives, with one human rights organization estimating the fatalities at 14.

A medical worker in Tehran described “extremely horrific scenes,” reporting that the number of injured was so high that staff could not perform CPR, and that morgues lacked sufficient space to accommodate the deceased’s bodies.

“About 38 individuals passed away. Many did so before reaching the emergency beds… gunshot wounds to the heads and hearts of young individuals. Several of them didn’t even arrive at the hospital.”

The hospital employee noted that the deceased or injured were predominantly young people. “It was difficult to look at many of them; they were between 20 and 25 years old.”

The protests are the broadest seen since the uprising in 2022 triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman apprehended by morality police for allegedly not adhering to hijab regulations.

According to human rights organizations, more than 550 individuals were killed and 20,000 detained by security forces during that period.

Additional reporting by Soroush Pakzad and Roja Assadi

Next week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet with officials from Denmark to deliberate on the status of Greenland – a self-governing territory of Denmark which President Donald Trump asserts is critical for national security.

This expansive island is at the center of a geopolitical upheaval with Trump’s involvement and locals appear to be quite anxious.

However, upon arrival by air, it appears remarkably serene. The landscape is dotted with ice and snow-covered peaks that extend endlessly, occasionally broken by shimmering fjords – nestled between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans.

It’s often described as sitting atop the world; a significant portion lies above the Arctic Circle.

Despite being nine times larger than the UK, Greenland has a mere 57,000 residents, predominantly indigenous Inuit.

On the south-western coastline, you will find the largest concentration of Greenlanders in the capital, Nuuk. We arrived there as the icy twilight began to set over the snow-laden pedestrian paths.

Parents pulled their kids home from school on sleds, and students drifted in and out of brightly illuminated shopping centers. Few individuals were willing to engage with us regarding their concerns related to Trump. Those who did had quite a pessimistic outlook.

One elder thumped his cane emphatically as he declared that the US must never establish its flag in Greenland’s capital.

A woman, who preferred to remain anonymous due to her distrust of everyone currently, expressed that she was “terribly frightened” at the idea of Trump seizing the island after witnessing his military actions in Venezuela.

In the meantime, young pottery artist Pilu Chemnitz remarked: “We are all quite exhausted with the US president. Our lives here have always been calm and peaceful.

“Certainly, Denmark’s colonization inflicted significant trauma on many individuals, but we simply desire to be left in peace.”

In addition to opposing a potential US takeover, which 85% of Greenlanders are against, many also express a desire for independence from Denmark – although numerous individuals also acknowledge the financial support from there that sustains their welfare system. While there are abundant untapped resources, poverty remains a pressing issue within Inuit communities.

Overall, Greenlanders seek a more substantial and assertive voice, not only in their local matters but in international relations as well.

I visited the island’s simply designed parliament, constructed in a Scandinavian style, adorned with wooden panels and painted in the same rich red color as the Greenlandic flags flying outside the entrance.

No need for security checks. Everything felt quite relaxed. Except for the imposing polar bear emblem – a representation of Greenland, etched onto every sliding glass door we passed through.

I met with Pipaluk Lynge-Rasmussen, the co-chair of the foreign affairs committee in parliament. She serves as an MP from the pro-independence Inuit Ataqatigiit party that is part of the ruling coalition here.

“It’s crucial for us to articulate what we seek as a nation,” she explained. “Since gaining home rule in 1979, we have consistently strived towards independence, achieving further autonomy in 2009.”

I inquired if she believed that major global powers – the US, Denmark, Nato, and the EU – were engaging more in dialogue about Greenland rather than addressing the islanders regarding their future.

She responded affirmatively. Interestingly, she holds Denmark more accountable than Trump for dismissing the desires and requirements of Greenlanders.

Even though Greenland and the Faroe Islands are incorporated within the Kingdom of Denmark, she feels they have always been regarded as second-class citizens.

Despite this, Lynge-Rasmussen stressed that Greenlanders should not perceive themselves as victims in the current landscape. On the contrary, she encourages them to leverage the international attention directed towards them to highlight their significance and advocate for their priorities.

What about the upcoming meeting with Rubio, I asked?

“I hope the meeting results in mutual understanding and compromise,” she replied.

“Perhaps we could engage in commerce with [the US] from this location… possibly collaborating on trade, or mining, and increasing American [military] installations in Greenland, maybe?”

According to a bilateral agreement with Denmark established in 1951, the US is allowed to deploy an unlimited number of troops to Greenland.

This situation has led European allies to question why Trump feels compelled to “acquire” the island unilaterally: whether through a purchase – seemingly Washington’s favored choice, or persuading Greenlanders to vote in a plebiscite to join the US, or potentially resorting to force, an option the Trump administration has not entirely dismissed.

It wouldn’t require much display of military power. Greenland possesses a limited number of trained soldiers and lacks its own military bases.

Trump and US Vice-President JD Vance rationalize their intention to “secure” Greenland by claiming Denmark falls short in safeguarding the island. Copenhagen challenges this assertion.

Moreover, it’s notable that the US already maintains a military base in Greenland – significantly reducing its personnel from approximately 10,000 during peak Cold War times to around 200 today.

Historically, the US has largely overlooked Arctic security until recently.

Trump’s heightened interest in the island seems to be a combination of:

• perceived national security issues
• a voracious appetite for Greenland’s rich natural resources, including rare earth elements and minerals
• and his outspoken ambition to dominate the Americas.

From a geographical standpoint, Greenland is classified as part of North America.

It is approximately 1,000 miles (1,609 km) closer to New York City than it is to Copenhagen.

This reality warrants consideration from Greenlanders, as opposition MP Pele Broberg from the Naleraq Party informed me.

He noted that many individuals felt apprehensive about Trump’s potential actions towards Greenland, attributing their fears largely to misinformation propagated by media sensationalism.

“It’s accurate, we are not up for sale – but we are amenable to conducting business. Or we ought to be.

“Currently, we exist as a colony. We are compelled to source our goods from Denmark, located 4,000 km away, instead of closer from the US.”

Broberg characterized his party as the true independence movement of the island, advocating for freedom that would allow Greenlanders to engage in trade on their own conditions with any nation, whether it be the US, Denmark or others.

At present, however, the US is placing demands rather than fostering trade relationships on equal footing.

So, what specific national security objectives does Trump associate with Greenland?

Simply put: the most direct path for a Russian ballistic missile to strike the continental US passes through Greenland and the North Pole.

Washington already possesses an early warning air base on the island – but Greenland could potentially function as a site for missile interceptors as part of the Trump administration’s proposed “Golden Dome” initiative: a strategy aimed at shielding the US from missile attacks.

The US has also reportedly considered installing radars in the waters linking Greenland, Iceland, and the UK – referred to as the GIUK Gap. This area serves as a passage for Chinese and Russian vessels that Washington intends to monitor.

There is no visible evidence while in Greenland to support Trump’s recent claims about an influx of Chinese and Russian vessels in the vicinity of the island.

Additionally, just last week, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian reprimanded Washington for “using the so-called ‘China threat’ as a justification to pursue its own selfish interests” in the Arctic.

Nonetheless, Russia and China have been enhancing their military capabilities and have intensified their collaboration in other areas of the region – including joint naval patrols and co-developing new maritime routes.

Under duress from western sanctions concerning Ukraine, Moscow is eager to increment its shipments to Asia.

Beijing is seeking shorter, more profitable maritime pathways to Europe.

The northern sea route is increasingly navigable due to melting ice, and Greenland inaugurated its representation office in Beijing in 2023 to forge stronger connections with China.

Regarding Arctic security, NATO allies aim to persuade Washington of their seriousness. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reportedly communicated with the US president multiple times last week, emphasizing that Europe intends to enhance its presence even further in the area. He has also been encouraging European leaders to bolster their collaboration with the US there.

Greenland, Denmark, and their NATO allies anticipate that there is a possibility for negotiation with Rubio next week and believe that, at the very least, a military take-over of Greenland by Trump is improbable – albeit not entirely out of the question.

The geographic powers in the Arctic include Denmark, the US, Canada, Russia, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. An Arctic Council, comprising all these nations, has traditionally strived to uphold the principle: high north, low tension.

However, military displays and unilateral moves from Washington regarding Greenland, coupled with a broader race for power among global superpowers, contribute to a genuine sense of danger in the region.

The fragile equilibrium in the Arctic, established since the Cold War’s conclusion, and effectively managed since Russia’s large-scale assault on Ukraine in 2022, could be precariously disrupted.