WILLIAM BRANGHAM: In Iran
tonight, leaders of the Islamic
republic are facing the most

serious challenge to their
rule in nearly a decade.

Protests have erupted across
the country, with at least
13 killed so far, and growing

fears of a new crackdown.

Iranian state TV
initially ignored these
protests, but no more.

Today, it broadcast what
it said was the aftermath
of deadly overnight
clashes between protesters

and police.

MAN (through translator):
Unfortunately, in total, some
10 people died in various cities

last night.

During the unrest, some
public places were set on
fire or seriously damaged.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: The
report said armed protesters
tried to take over police
stations and military

bases, though it didn't
say where that occurred.

The unrest began Thursday, in
the city of Mashhad, hometown
of the country's supreme

leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Demonstrations initially over
economic woes quickly spread
across the country, including

the capital, Tehran.

In the process, crowds began
directly challenging the
very head of the regime.

They yelled "Death to Khamenei,"
and some even shouted support
for the late shah, who

was ousted in the
1979 revolution.

In Tehran, on Sunday, protesters
overturned police vans and
threw rocks at security forces,

who in turn used tear
gas, batons and live fire.

These are the biggest protests
in Iran since 2009's Green
Movement, when masses accused

then-President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad of rigging
his reelection.

Security forces swiftly
and harshly cracked
down on that uprising.

This time, though,
the response has been
somewhat more restrained.

President Hassan Rouhani
acknowledged Sunday that
many Iranians haven't
seen the economic

benefits they were promised
after the signing of
the Iran nuclear deal.

HASSAN ROUHANI, Iranian
President (through
translator): The people
have a right to criticize

all over the country.

But criticism is entirely
different from violence.

While those responsible in
our country must respect the
grounds for legal complaints of

the people, at the same
time, we must not allow the
creation of an atmosphere where

supporters of the revolution
and our people worry about
their lives and security.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Today,
officials in Najafabad
in Western Iran said
protesters shot at police,

killing one and
injuring three more.

Other officials warned
the demonstrators will - -
quote -- "pay the price."

MAN (through translator):
Those who carry out acts of
sabotage, riot and unrest, and

set fire to public and private
venues and properties should
be dealt with strongly.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: President
Trump encouraged the protesters
on Twitter this weekend, and

declared it's time
for change in Iran.

Meanwhile, hundreds of
people have been arrested,
and the government
blocked Instagram and the

messaging app Telegram
to try and limit the
organization of more protests.

For more on the latest in
Iran, I spoke a short while
ago with Thomas Erdbrink of The

New York Times.

He's in Tehran.

And I began by asking him
to describe the scene today.

THOMAS ERDBRINK, The New York
Times: So, I was out on the
streets of Tehran today, like

many, many other people who were
walking the pavements, maybe
with the intention to protest

or to shout slogans.

But they definitely weren't
able to, because the lines --
the central squares of Tehran

were lined with police officers
in riot gear, plainclothes
officers on motorcycles.

Clearly, the decision had been
made today to not allow these
protests, at least in the

capital, from
growing any further.

But, despite that, I saw a group
of 50 protesters that came out
on the streets, shouted slogans

against Iran's supreme leader,
shouted slogans against Iran's
intervention in Syria and Iraq,

who burned down some trash bins
on the streets, and then were,
of course, chased by the police

and ran off.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And do you
have a sense of what it is
that these protesters actually

want?

THOMAS ERDBRINK: Well, these
protests are based on the broad
feeling of discontent among

average, ordinary Iranians.

And the root of this discontent
is inside Iran's economy.

Now, of course, Iran's economy
has been under sanctions during
the past 10 years and continues

to be under unilateral American
sanctions, even after the
2015 nuclear agreement between

Iran and world powers.

It is still impossible
to send and receive
money to this country.

But at the same time, Iran's
economy has also been mismanaged
by Iran's leaders, not for

the past 10 years, but
for decades already.

Well, as a result, there are
many young people here who are
without a job, who cannot make

ends meet and who for
years already have been
complaining about the economy.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And, Thomas,
who are these protesters?

Who is it that is actually
out on the streets today?

THOMAS ERDBRINK: Well, there
are two groups of protesters.

There is a big group of people
who are dissatisfied with
the economical situation.

And also because, in Iran,
everything is political,
as this is an ideological
country, they are

ultimately also dissatisfied
with the political choices
their leaders have made.

Now, those people can be taxi
drivers, lawyers, housewives.

They are the ones who might
intend to go on the street, but
are not going so at this point

in time, because they are afraid
to lose whatever they have.

Maybe they will get in
trouble with the law.

But then there is a smaller
group of young people who are
maybe poor, who feel as if

they have nothing to lose, who
seems to be very determined
to go out on the street, to

shout these slogans, and to,
even at points, throw stones
at the police, vandalize, burn

down dustbins and other things,
in order to make their point.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: All right,
Thomas Erdbrink of The New York
Times, thank you very much.

THOMAS ERDBRINK: OK.

Thank you for having me.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: We will focus
more on what's driving the
unrest in Iran after the news

summary.