The government ordered the shutdown of the internet and power, plunging the country into a communications blackout that created an insurmountable obstacle to coordinating demonstrations. Iranian security forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Basij (an all-volunteer paramilitary force that operates as an arm of the IRGC) and Iranian police, shot live rounds into crowds of demonstrators, bringing the death toll to the thousands, with estimates ranging from 2,600 to 12,000 or more.

Over the course of the last week, residents of Tehran have reported that the streets have become relatively quiet as the government’s tactics subdued the protests. Although the authorities have not officially declared martial law, a de facto version reigns as heavy armored vehicles patrol the streets alongside heavily armed security forces. Shops and restaurants close their doors by 6 p.m., and the normally bustling streets, once filled with traffic, are mostly empty and quiet.

A resident of Tehran said, “There is massive disappointment and disillusionment.” The protests failed to topple the regime, and the help promised by President Donald Trump failed to materialize.