Jafar Panahi Warns of Looming Tragedy Amid Iran Unrest
Iranian director Jafar Panahi calls for global attention as protests escalate in Iran, warning of dire consequences under a government clampdown and media blackout.
Jafar Panahi, the acclaimed Iranian filmmaker, has issued a stark appeal for the world to pay heed to the sweeping protests erupting across his homeland. Speaking candidly in a recent interview, Panahi did not mince words:
“A massacre is coming.”
His warning comes as demonstrations against the ruling authorities have intensified, with reports suggesting the death toll has surpassed 2,000.
Panahi’s latest work, inspired by his own incarceration for what officials labelled anti-government propaganda, has garnered international recognition, including four nominations at the 2026 Golden Globes. Yet, while his film is celebrated abroad, the situation at home grows ever more precarious. The authorities have imposed a near-total blackout on communications, severing internet and phone lines in a bid to stifle dissent and control the narrative.
Escalating Protests and Communication Blackout
As unrest has spread, the regime’s grip has tightened. Panahi observed,
“The Islamic Republic has entirely lost its legitimacy, and now there is no more doubt of that.”
He went on to describe a government at a crossroads, facing what he believes to be the most consequential protests in recent memory.
“It appears that the regime is finding itself at a dead end, and the protests this year seem to be the most important of anything that’s happened all these years, and because it is about its existence or non-existence, it is going to do anything.”
The blackout has left Iranians isolated. Panahi explained,
“The internet and the phones are all shut down. We cannot call cell phones or landlines; everything is disconnected. When they shut down the internet completely, we knew what was going on: it means a massacre is coming.”
The sense of foreboding is palpable, with many fearing the worst as the regime seeks to quash opposition away from the world’s gaze.
Personal Stakes and International Response
Panahi himself remains entangled in the regime’s legal machinery, having recently been handed another one-year prison sentence in absentia. He is currently appealing the verdict, but has stated his intention to return to Iran once his obligations promoting his film abroad are fulfilled.
The origins of the current wave of protests can be traced back to late December, when soaring inflation and shortages of basic goods sparked public outrage. What began as economic frustration quickly morphed into a broader challenge to the country’s leadership, with demonstrators openly criticising the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The scale and intensity of these protests have led some observers to speculate about the possibility of regime change.
Global Implications and Panahi’s Plea
The international community has not remained entirely silent. The US president has threatened military action should the regime respond to protestors with violence, and has imposed steep tariffs on nations conducting business with Iran. Yet, for Panahi, the most pressing need is for ordinary people everywhere to take notice and act.
He concluded with a heartfelt call:
“I don’t know what can be done. But we are in a situation that anyone and everyone around the world – journalists, citizens, politicians, anybody – can do something. Anything they can do, they must.”