EU slams Iran “heavy-handed response” as protests spread
Shafaq News– Brussels / Tehran
The European Union on Friday criticized Iran’s security forces for what it described as an excessive and violent crackdown on nationwide protests, as demonstrations spread across dozens of cities.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said images emerging from Tehran showed “disproportionate and heavy-handed response by the security forces,” stressing that “any violence against peaceful protesters is unacceptable.” The bloc also condemned Iran’s repeated internet shutdowns, saying they exposed “a system that fears its own people.”
The Iranian people are fighting for their future. By ignoring their rightful demands, the regime shows its true colours.Images from Tehran reveal a disproportionate and heavy-handed response by the security forces. Any violence against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable.…
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) January 9, 2026
In a joint statement, Britain, France, and Germany called for “close coordination” in monitoring developments in Iran.
Iran’s leadership, meanwhile, framed the unrest as foreign-driven. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei accused the United States of orchestrating the protests, claiming that “saboteurs” were vandalizing public property to appease US President Donald Trump. Speaking in Tehran, he said those involved were not legitimate protesters but “rioters.”
The protests began in late December after a sharp collapse of the Iranian rial fueled soaring prices. The currency slid to about 1.45 million to the dollar in December 2025, while annual inflation reached roughly 52%, according to official and market data. President Masoud Pezeshkian has acknowledged the economic roots of the unrest and pledged measures to ease pressure on citizens.
Read more: Iran’s protests between economic crisis and political contestation
According to Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), demonstrations have taken place at nearly 300 locations across 111 cities in all 31 provinces. The group reported at least 35 deaths, including police officers, and more than 2,000 arrests. Iranian authorities have not released official casualty figures.
Protests and strikes have spread across major urban centers, including Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Tabriz, Ahvaz, and several northern and western cities, as well as smaller towns. The government has responded by tightening price controls and warning that it will not tolerate what the judiciary describes as “disturbances.”
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported near-total nationwide outages on Thursday affecting Tehran and multiple provinces, while several Iranian news agency websites remained inaccessible.
