Since the end of December 2025, Iran has been experiencing widespread nationwide protests. These demonstrations, initially driven by economic grievances, have rapidly evolved into a direct political challenge to the ayatollahs’ regime, marking the largest wave of public dissent in years. The spark was the surge in inflation, the collapse of the rial, and the growing difficulty in accessing basic goods. Some merchants at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar closed their businesses in protest against the erosion of purchasing power, triggering a broader mobilization that, within a few weeks, spread across all 31 provinces of the country.
Although rooted in economic causes, the protests have taken on clear political connotations. The demonstrators—largely composed of young people, students, workers, and merchants—have chanted slogans against the religious leadership, particularly Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and have called for systemic reforms or even the overthrow of the regime. Nevertheless, the regime, which continues to rely on the crucial support of the Revolutionary Guard and the Islamist segment of the population, has responded—and continues to respond—with brutal repression.
Early estimates point to hundreds of deaths, potentially up to 2,000, along with thousands of arrests and injuries. In addition, in an effort to isolate the movement and prevent the dissemination of information, the authorities imposed a nationwide shutdown of Internet communications and international calls starting in the first week of January, restricting access to mobile networks and data services. This move has drastically reduced the ability to document events from within the country.
The protest movement has drawn significant international attention. The United States, under President Donald Trump, announced severe trade sanctions against Iran, including a 25% tariff on transactions with Tehran, in an attempt to increase pressure on the regime. The European Union and other Western governments are considering additional restrictive measures, while the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has condemned the violence and urged Tehran to respect fundamental freedoms. Finally, the voice of Reza Pahlavi, son of the Shah deposed in 1979, has also been heard prominently: he has expressed his support for the protesters and stated his willingness to return to Iran to help change the country’s fate.
While President Masoud Pezeshkian has sought to balance calls for dialogue with the need to maintain order, Supreme Leader Khamenei has intensified his repressive rhetoric, labeling the protesters as “enemies of the law” and placing the paramilitary Pasdaran forces on alert. Internal political uncertainty is further exacerbated by stagnant economic conditions, tensions with the United States, and regional geopolitical competition, making a rapid de-escalation difficult to foresee.
This wave of protests stands out not only for its geographic scope and duration, but also for the intensity of the political demands and the state’s repressive response. The combination of chronic economic crisis, international pressure, and growing social discontent could mark a critical phase for Iran’s internal stability—with consequences that may reverberate across the broader Middle Eastern geopolitical landscape in the months ahead.
