Testimonies from Iran to N12: "The repression units roam armed, many are executed" | Exclusive

The execution of two protest participants in Isfahan has sparked fears of intensified repression in Iran. Citizens report mobile phone checks and arrests in the metro. Sajjad from Tehran notes: "The regime wants to instill fear, but anger has taken root in the public's heart." Armed forces on motorcycles patrol crowded places in major cities. According to local residents, the regime exploits lulls in fighting or war situations to increase internal repression.

"Sooner or later we will return to the streets and take revenge for those we lost," Sajjad adds. The execution this week of two protest participants in Isfahan has brought back to the forefront the fear of further intensification of repression. Citizens from inside Iran told N12 today, Thursday, in exclusive conversations about armed forces roaming the streets, phone checks in the metro, and fears for the fate of other detainees. However, the attempt to intimidate, as they testify, only deepens the anger against the regime.

"The Iranian regime's execution machine has started working again. Every day they execute many people and threaten their family members that if they publish information in the media, they will be sent to prison," said Sajjad from Tehran. Although Sajjad does not represent the entire Iranian public, which includes millions of regime supporters, his words reflect the feeling of helplessness among many. "People really have nothing to do. We are forced to watch this bitter and forced spectacle. No one has any safe space. They want to instill fear into the hearts of the people so that no one dares to raise their voice," he admitted.

Sajjad also referred to the increase in enforcement in public spaces, which is evident in the Tehran metro: "The hijab patrols have returned to the metro. They can suddenly approach you, take your mobile phone, and if it has pictures or videos from the protests, you are arrested. If you follow Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi on Instagram, you are arrested." He noted that a few days ago, they checked a person's phone in the metro and arrested him on the spot.

Alireza from Mashhad also told N12 that the presence of the repression forces is well felt on the streets: "The motorcycle units of the repression forces patrol the streets while armed. They roam in crowded places and stand at street corners to make the atmosphere for the public unsafe." He added: "The experience of the last year has shown that the more the Islamic Republic feels secure from the direction of the USA and Israel, the more it increases repression and the executions of its opponents. The executions of two protesters in Isfahan show that there has been no change in the regime's conduct, contrary to what the US President believes."

Reza, a resident of Tehran, also described the executions to N12 as a central tool in the regime's attempt to deter the public: "Executions are one of the methods that the Islamic Republic regime has always used to frighten the public. The government uses every situation at its disposal to suppress society. One of these situations is, naturally, a lull in the war, but even the war itself gives it more space for repression." In the background, many question marks still hover as to whether we are headed for a renewed escalation in the fighting, but the testimonies provided offer a glimpse into the feelings of many inside Iran, who live between the fear of intensified repression and a growing anger at the regime's conduct.