Iranians have returned to the streets to mourn protesters killed by security forces, prompting fresh crackdowns that echo the tactics of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The clerical establishment faces renewed pressure as mourners gather 40 days after the January unrest, which human rights groups say killed thousands during two days of widespread shooting.

Authorities deployed security forces to cemeteries and organized state-controlled "Chehelom" ceremonies while restricting internet access in major cities. Videos circulating on social media show mourners in Abdanan and other towns facing deadly force, with witnesses reporting gunfire and chants of "Death to the dictator" directed at Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The government blames "armed terrorists" linked to Israel and the United States for the violence.

Iran's leadership worries that potential U.S. military action could further erode its grip on power by fueling more protests. The January unrest began as economic demonstrations among Tehran bazaar traders before escalating into the gravest threat to Iran's theocracy in decades. With continued Western sanctions likely to fuel public anger regardless of military action, the clerical rulers face mounting pressure from citizens frustrated by repression, inequality, and economic hardship.