1 00:00:01,933 --> 00:00:04,433 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: In Iran tonight, leaders of the Islamic republic are facing the most 2 00:00:04,433 --> 00:00:06,933 serious challenge to their rule in nearly a decade. 3 00:00:06,933 --> 00:00:11,766 Protests have erupted across the country, with at least 13 killed so far, and growing 4 00:00:11,766 --> 00:00:15,800 fears of a new crackdown. 5 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,366 Iranian state TV initially ignored these protests, but no more. 6 00:00:19,366 --> 00:00:24,366 Today, it broadcast what it said was the aftermath of deadly overnight clashes between protesters 7 00:00:24,966 --> 00:00:26,966 and police. 8 00:00:26,966 --> 00:00:29,833 MAN (through translator): Unfortunately, in total, some 10 people died in various cities 9 00:00:29,833 --> 00:00:31,933 last night. 10 00:00:31,933 --> 00:00:34,466 During the unrest, some public places were set on fire or seriously damaged. 11 00:00:34,466 --> 00:00:39,433 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: The report said armed protesters tried to take over police stations and military 12 00:00:40,666 --> 00:00:43,066 bases, though it didn't say where that occurred. 13 00:00:43,066 --> 00:00:47,866 The unrest began Thursday, in the city of Mashhad, hometown of the country's supreme 14 00:00:47,866 --> 00:00:50,866 leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 15 00:00:50,866 --> 00:00:55,400 Demonstrations initially over economic woes quickly spread across the country, including 16 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,533 the capital, Tehran. 17 00:00:58,533 --> 00:01:02,933 In the process, crowds began directly challenging the very head of the regime. 18 00:01:02,933 --> 00:01:07,933 They yelled "Death to Khamenei," and some even shouted support for the late shah, who 19 00:01:09,100 --> 00:01:11,133 was ousted in the 1979 revolution. 20 00:01:11,133 --> 00:01:15,833 In Tehran, on Sunday, protesters overturned police vans and threw rocks at security forces, 21 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:21,766 who in turn used tear gas, batons and live fire. 22 00:01:21,766 --> 00:01:26,766 These are the biggest protests in Iran since 2009's Green Movement, when masses accused 23 00:01:28,333 --> 00:01:31,666 then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of rigging his reelection. 24 00:01:31,666 --> 00:01:36,100 Security forces swiftly and harshly cracked down on that uprising. 25 00:01:36,100 --> 00:01:39,633 This time, though, the response has been somewhat more restrained. 26 00:01:39,633 --> 00:01:44,533 President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged Sunday that many Iranians haven't seen the economic 27 00:01:44,533 --> 00:01:48,100 benefits they were promised after the signing of the Iran nuclear deal. 28 00:01:48,100 --> 00:01:52,133 HASSAN ROUHANI, Iranian President (through translator): The people have a right to criticize 29 00:01:52,133 --> 00:01:53,833 all over the country. 30 00:01:53,833 --> 00:01:56,833 But criticism is entirely different from violence. 31 00:01:56,833 --> 00:02:01,033 While those responsible in our country must respect the grounds for legal complaints of 32 00:02:01,033 --> 00:02:06,033 the people, at the same time, we must not allow the creation of an atmosphere where 33 00:02:06,033 --> 00:02:10,866 supporters of the revolution and our people worry about their lives and security. 34 00:02:10,866 --> 00:02:15,866 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Today, officials in Najafabad in Western Iran said protesters shot at police, 35 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,433 killing one and injuring three more. 36 00:02:19,433 --> 00:02:22,833 Other officials warned the demonstrators will - - quote -- "pay the price." 37 00:02:22,833 --> 00:02:27,833 MAN (through translator): Those who carry out acts of sabotage, riot and unrest, and 38 00:02:29,766 --> 00:02:31,766 set fire to public and private venues and properties should be dealt with strongly. 39 00:02:31,766 --> 00:02:35,833 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: President Trump encouraged the protesters on Twitter this weekend, and 40 00:02:35,833 --> 00:02:38,933 declared it's time for change in Iran. 41 00:02:38,933 --> 00:02:43,733 Meanwhile, hundreds of people have been arrested, and the government blocked Instagram and the 42 00:02:43,733 --> 00:02:48,733 messaging app Telegram to try and limit the organization of more protests. 43 00:02:50,666 --> 00:02:52,400 For more on the latest in Iran, I spoke a short while ago with Thomas Erdbrink of The 44 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:53,400 New York Times. 45 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:54,933 He's in Tehran. 46 00:02:54,933 --> 00:02:57,066 And I began by asking him to describe the scene today. 47 00:02:57,066 --> 00:03:00,000 THOMAS ERDBRINK, The New York Times: So, I was out on the streets of Tehran today, like 48 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:05,000 many, many other people who were walking the pavements, maybe with the intention to protest 49 00:03:05,733 --> 00:03:07,833 or to shout slogans. 50 00:03:07,833 --> 00:03:12,133 But they definitely weren't able to, because the lines -- the central squares of Tehran 51 00:03:13,966 --> 00:03:17,200 were lined with police officers in riot gear, plainclothes officers on motorcycles. 52 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:22,800 Clearly, the decision had been made today to not allow these protests, at least in the 53 00:03:23,900 --> 00:03:26,233 capital, from growing any further. 54 00:03:26,233 --> 00:03:31,233 But, despite that, I saw a group of 50 protesters that came out on the streets, shouted slogans 55 00:03:33,366 --> 00:03:38,366 against Iran's supreme leader, shouted slogans against Iran's intervention in Syria and Iraq, 56 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:47,000 who burned down some trash bins on the streets, and then were, of course, chased by the police 57 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:49,633 and ran off. 58 00:03:49,633 --> 00:03:51,966 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And do you have a sense of what it is that these protesters actually 59 00:03:51,966 --> 00:03:54,000 want? 60 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,966 THOMAS ERDBRINK: Well, these protests are based on the broad feeling of discontent among 61 00:03:58,866 --> 00:04:00,366 average, ordinary Iranians. 62 00:04:00,366 --> 00:04:03,900 And the root of this discontent is inside Iran's economy. 63 00:04:03,900 --> 00:04:08,900 Now, of course, Iran's economy has been under sanctions during the past 10 years and continues 64 00:04:10,833 --> 00:04:14,433 to be under unilateral American sanctions, even after the 2015 nuclear agreement between 65 00:04:15,166 --> 00:04:16,866 Iran and world powers. 66 00:04:16,866 --> 00:04:20,633 It is still impossible to send and receive money to this country. 67 00:04:20,633 --> 00:04:25,633 But at the same time, Iran's economy has also been mismanaged by Iran's leaders, not for 68 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:28,900 the past 10 years, but for decades already. 69 00:04:28,900 --> 00:04:33,500 Well, as a result, there are many young people here who are without a job, who cannot make 70 00:04:35,333 --> 00:04:38,766 ends meet and who for years already have been complaining about the economy. 71 00:04:40,166 --> 00:04:42,666 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And, Thomas, who are these protesters? 72 00:04:42,666 --> 00:04:45,033 Who is it that is actually out on the streets today? 73 00:04:45,033 --> 00:04:48,333 THOMAS ERDBRINK: Well, there are two groups of protesters. 74 00:04:48,333 --> 00:04:53,200 There is a big group of people who are dissatisfied with the economical situation. 75 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:58,100 And also because, in Iran, everything is political, as this is an ideological country, they are 76 00:04:58,100 --> 00:05:02,766 ultimately also dissatisfied with the political choices their leaders have made. 77 00:05:02,766 --> 00:05:07,766 Now, those people can be taxi drivers, lawyers, housewives. 78 00:05:09,733 --> 00:05:13,500 They are the ones who might intend to go on the street, but are not going so at this point 79 00:05:14,900 --> 00:05:17,033 in time, because they are afraid to lose whatever they have. 80 00:05:17,033 --> 00:05:19,066 Maybe they will get in trouble with the law. 81 00:05:19,066 --> 00:05:23,666 But then there is a smaller group of young people who are maybe poor, who feel as if 82 00:05:25,666 --> 00:05:29,566 they have nothing to lose, who seems to be very determined to go out on the street, to 83 00:05:29,566 --> 00:05:34,566 shout these slogans, and to, even at points, throw stones at the police, vandalize, burn 84 00:05:36,433 --> 00:05:40,100 down dustbins and other things, in order to make their point. 85 00:05:40,100 --> 00:05:43,500 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: All right, Thomas Erdbrink of The New York Times, thank you very much. 86 00:05:43,500 --> 00:05:44,500 THOMAS ERDBRINK: OK. 87 00:05:44,500 --> 00:05:46,500 Thank you for having me. 88 00:05:46,500 --> 00:05:49,533 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: We will focus more on what's driving the unrest in Iran after the news 89 00:05:49,533 --> 00:05:49,833 summary.