CCTV footage from inside the Abouzar Mosque in Tehran, Iran's capital, has surfaced. Dated January 8, this footage appears to capture events just a day prior to the mosque being set ablaze. The video clearly depicts significant damage within the mosque's interiors.
Visible in the footage are individuals dressed in black entering the mosque. These individuals are seen damaging furniture, toppling bookshelves, and destroying fans and other items present. Towards the end of the footage, one person approaches a CCTV camera and breaks it with an iron rod, halting any further recording.
Reuters has verified the authenticity of this footage. According to the agency, the bricks, dome-shaped structures, bookshelves, and fans visible inside the mosque align with previous images. Additionally, the timestamp present on the footage matches the reported date.
The Mosque Was Set on Fire on January 9
Iran's state media reports that on Friday, January 9, a fire was set at Abouzar Mosque. However, little detailed information has been officially disclosed about the responsibility for this arson.
The footage has come to light amidst ongoing protests and unrest in Iran. According to a human rights organization, more than 500 people have reportedly died in the ongoing violence across the country. The U.S.-based rights group HRANA claims that within the past two weeks, 490 protesters and 48 security personnel have been killed, with over 10,600 individuals arrested.
Threat of U.S. Intervention
Amidst these tensions, Iran has warned the U.S. against intervening in support of the protesters, threatening to target U.S. military bases if President Donald Trump decides to intervene. Previously, President Trump had warned that the U.S. might intervene if force was used against the protesters.
Numerous shops and a bank in Tehran were set ablaze, casting a thick cloud of black smoke over the area. Coinciding with nationwide protests now in their third week, the China Media Group (CMG) released video footage on Sunday showing flames engulfing buildings, with several shops and a bank completely burnt to ashes. The video also clearly shows the charred remnants of the shops and bank.
