Iranian protests

Iranian series of protests

War & ConflictPolitics & GovernmentSocial & Human Rights

Iranian protests — Image via Wikimedia Commons or Wikipedia.

Overview

What happened

At least 31 protesters killed in Khuzestan Province, Iran, in 2009 after 65 days of civil disobedience come to a deadly end.

Date

June 5, 2009

Location

Khuzestan Province, Iran

Key people

Ali Khamenei

Outcome

At least 31 protesters killed in Khuzestan Province, Iran, in 2009 after 65 days of civil disobedience come to a deadly end.

Why it matters

This article provides a detailed and nuanced account of the protests in Khuzestan Province, including the causes and consequences of the protests, and the response of the Iranian gov...

What was Iranian protests?

The 2019–2020 Iranian protests, sometimes known by the protesters as Bloody November or (using the Iranian calendar) Bloody Aban (Persian: آبان خونین), were a series of nationwide civil protests in Iran that took place in 2019 and 2020. Initially caused by a 50–200% increase in fuel prices, they occurred as part of the wider Iranian Democracy Movement, leading to calls for the overthrow of the government in Iran and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The protests commenced as peaceful gatherings on the evening of 15 November but spread to 21 cities within hours, as videos of the protest circulated online, eventually becoming the most violent and severe anti-government unrest since the Iranian Revolution in 1979.

Background and consequences

To block the sharing of information regarding the protests and the deaths of hundreds of protesters on social media platforms, the government shut down the Internet nationwide, resulting in a near-total internet blackout of around six days. In an effort to crush the protests, the Iranian government (according to Amnesty International) shot protesters dead from rooftops, helicopters, and at close range with machine gun fire.

Related on thisDay

After 65 straight days of civil disobedience, at least 31 people are killed in clashes — June 5, 2009

At least 31 protesters killed in Khuzestan Province, Iran, in 2009 after 65 days of civil disobedience come to a deadly end.

Sources and further reading

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Date article: After 65 straight days of civil disobedience, at least 31 people are killed in clashes — June 5, 2009 Wikipedia source

Cite this page

MLA

“Iranian protests.” thisDay, thisday.info/history/iranian-protests/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

APA

Iranian protests. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://thisday.info/history/iranian-protests/

Chicago

“Iranian protests.” thisDay. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://thisday.info/history/iranian-protests/.

Found an error? Let us know.