Iranian authorities have intensified their crackdown against protesters in the wake of Mahsa Amini’s death, and the Intelligence Ministry announced the arrest of nine foreign nationals as well as journalists and celebrities.
"They [the regime] want to silence them. The Achilles’ heel of this regime has always been its people," Lisa Daftari, a Middle East expert and editor-in-chief of The Foreign Desk, told Fox News Digital.
"They know that the people have reached a tipping point and are fueled by the disenchantment.
"They are literally putting their lives on the line to tell the world that they do not want this regime. The regime has doubled down on using any force needed to quash these protests. By rounding up journalists, poets, singers and celebrities, they are trying to make an example out of them to stop the protests."
The Foreign Desk reported that most of the journalists were taken during post-midnight raids on their homes with electronic devices confiscated.
"The people of Iran are getting support from all over the world, especially on social media," Daftari said. "Iranians inside Iran with large followings are using their popularity and platforms to post support for the protests and that’s why the regime is targeting them. They want to silence them."
